Press Statement
Singapore must halt execution of M’sian citizen Prabu Pathmanathan at Changi prison on 26 October 2018
24 October 2018
The family of Malaysian citizen Prabu N Pathmanathan have been informed that he will be executed at Changi Prison on Friday 26th October 2018 for alleged drug trafficking.
The family were only informed of the Friday hanging on 20th October 2018 by a letter from the Singapore Prison Services, which is less than one weeks notice. In the same chilling letter, the family has been asked to make the ‘ necessary funeral arrangements’.
There are grave doubts surrounding Prabu’s conviction. The alleged drugs were found in a vehicle driven by another person, and not Prabu. Further, confessions were obtained against Prabu and utilised by the prosecution at trial, which Prabu’s lawyers say were made under duress.
The death penalty is cruel and inhuman, and particularly so when used in drugs cases which results in the execution of drug mules from poor socio-economic backgrounds.
Malaysia has recognised the barbarity of the death penalty and has recently announced its total abolition.
Having taken that position, the Malaysian government must do everything possible to save our citizens abroad who are facing execution.
On 13th October 2018, the deputy foreign minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya had assured Malaysians that the government would come up with a solution for Malaysians facing execution abroad.
We now urge the Malaysian government to make urgent and strenuous efforts to save Prabu Patmanathan from the gallows this Friday.
The continued use of the death penalty for drug offences is a violation of the ICCPR, of which Singapore is a state party.
We strongly urge Singapore to halt the scheduled Friday execution of Prabu, and instead commute his mandatory death sentence.
Released by:
N Surendran
Adviser
Lawyers for Liberty