Singapore to execute man accused of trafficking 1 kilo of cannabis

Singapore prepares to hang a man for cannabis trafficking, in the city-state's latest controversial execution.

Tangaraju, 46, was convicted of «aiding and abetting by participating in a trafficking conspiracy» for a delivery of 1kg of cannabis from Malaysia to Singapore in 2013. Although he wasn't caught in the act, the country's prosecutors said he was responsible for coordinating it and traced two phone numbers used by a deliveryman back to Tangaraju.

Tangaraju claimed that he was not the person communicating with others connected to the case. He said he had lost one of the phones and denied possessing the second.

Singaporean law provides for the death penalty for drug trafficking and lighter sentences for smugglers. At Tangaraju's last appeal, the judge agreed with the prosecution that Tangaraju was responsible for coordinating the delivery, which prevented him from receiving a more lenient sentence.

Activists also expressed concern that Tangaraju did not have access to an interpreter and had to plead his final appeal alone, as his family was unable to find him a lawyer.

The Singaporean authorities claim that Tangaraju only requested an interpreter during the trial, and not before. They add that he had access to a lawyer throughout the proceedings.

In recent days, family members and activists have sent letters to Singapore's president, Halimah Yacob, in a last-minute plea for clemency, while British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has called for a halt to the execution and a review of the case.

«I know my brother has done nothing wrong. I urge the court to look at his case from the beginning,» Tangaraju's sister Leela Suppiah told a press conference.

Sir Richard, who had already criticized the 2022 execution of Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, Tangaraju's case was «shocking on several levels».

In a blog post, he declared that Singapore «could be on the verge of killing an innocent man» due to «more than dubious circumstances».

«The death penalty is already a dark stain on the country's reputation. An execution following such an insecure conviction would only make matters worse,» he said.

Refuting his allegations, Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said they were untrue and accused him of «disrespecting Singapore's judges and our criminal justice system».

Singapore's Home Office said the death penalty was «an essential component» of a multi-pronged approach that has proved «effective in keeping Singapore safe».

Kirsten Han, spokeswoman for the Singapore Association Against the Death Penalty Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), said the government did not want to give the impression of bowing to pressure.

But, she added, «of all the things Singapore stands out for on the international stage and at the United Nations, defending its right to murder people on behalf of its citizens is not something we should be proud of».

Singapore has some of the toughest anti-drug laws in the world, going as far as prohibit the marketing of snacks containing hemp flour. Singapore's strict rules contrast with recent measures taken by some of its neighbors. Visit Thailand has largely decriminalized cannabis and even Malaysia puts an end to the death penalty mandatory for serious crimes.

Tangaraju's family has said it will continue to press for reforms to Singapore's justice system, even if he is eventually executed.

«If such injustice happens to my brother, I wouldn't want it to happen to anyone else, so I'll keep fighting,» said his sister Leela.

Edit: Tangaraju was executed on the morning of April 26, 2023.