The execution, the country’s third in just over a week, has been slammed as the latest example of someone being sent to the gallows over a less than clear-cut conviction
the ethics of using the subjective opinion of psychiatrists to determine moral culpability in court. “Among the various other fields, psychiatry is one of those matters where there’s some more gray areas,” Suang Wijaya, another lawyer who represents death row inmates pro bono, tells TIME.
When two men, Abdul Haleem Abdul Karim and Muhammad Ridzuan Md Ali, were arrested in the same case of drug trafficking in 2013, the former got life imprisonment with the Certificate of Substantive Assistance while the latter, who was not able to obtain the certificate, received the death sentence. The prosecution did not state why Ridzuan was not issued the certificate, and his lawyers argued that the two men had given “practically the same information” to narcotics authorities..
“That analysis is based on spreading a fear of dire consequences which doesn't take into account the other factors, like drug addiction and the associated social and economic desperation, that drive people's motivations.” “I don’t think it’s fair. It goes against the very principle of presumption of innocence,” Luo, the lawyer, tells TIME. While Luo says she supports the death penalty in Singapore for its broader deterrent effect—the same argument championed by authorities to defend the country’s stringent drug laws—she also says there are fundamental risks to having these presumptions in place when it comes to sentencing drug traffickers.
One man almost found himself facing the deadly consequences of an erroneous presumption. Raj Kumar Aiyachami had been arrested in 2015 after being caught with a bag of weed he claimed was delivered to him by mistake. He told the court he had ordered chemically sprayed tobacco, which had not been listed as a narcotic, but the trial judge didn’t believe him, and he was sent to death row in 2020.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Big Oil’s Cash Restraint Begins To Cause Worry | OilPrice.comBloomberg: Exxon, Chevron, BP, Shell, and TotalEnergies produced 11.6 million barrels of oil equivalent daily during the second quarter.
Read more »
Singapore’s PM defends governance after scandals\n\t\t\tKeep abreast of significant corporate, financial and political developments around the world.\n\t\t\tStay informed and spot emerging risks and opportunities with independent global reporting, expert\n\t\t\tcommentary and analysis you can trust.\n\t\t
Read more »
Scandals Test Singapore’s ‘Thin-Skinned’ Approach to Public CriticismSingapore’s hamfisted attempts at controlling the narrative could backfire, drawing even more attention to criticism or questions raised in the first place.
Read more »
Donald Trump indictment: Why these charges are most serious ones yetThese accusations are the gravest ones yet levelled at the former president, says our North America editor.
Read more »
Every incident which proves why women have lost faith in the police51% of women don't trust the Met. Is it any wonder?
Read more »
Steph McGovern speaks out on Strictly Come Dancing rumoursSteph revealed why she won't do Strictly Come Dancing right now
Read more »