Singapore has executed its third individual in a week for drug-related offenses.
On Friday, 55-year-old Rosman Abdullah was hanged at Changi Prison after being convicted of trafficking 57.43 grams (2.03 ounces) of heroin. This amount exceeds Singapore’s 15-gram threshold for the death penalty under its stringent anti-drug laws.
His execution marks the eighth in the city-state this year, according to information from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).
Rosman’s case dates back to July 2010, when he was first sentenced to death. After exhausting all available legal avenues, including a plea for presidential clemency, his execution was carried out.
“There is increasing evidence showing the ineffectiveness of capital punishment as a deterrent,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani emphasized in a statement released on Thursday.
Despite the negative effects, of the verdict Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau has defended its policy.
In a statement, the CNB reiterated that the death penalty is applied only for “the most serious crimes” and acts as a powerful deterrent against drug trafficking, which they assert poses severe risks to individuals and society at large. Singaporean authorities maintain that the harsh measures are essential to preserving public safety and ensuring the nation remains free of the severe societal harms caused by drug abuse.
Two other executions were carried out just days earlier, on November 15, involving a Malaysian and a Singaporean, both convicted on charges of drug trafficking.
