UN Expert Urges Singapore to Halt Execution of Malaysian Man on Death Row

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binz, has urgently called on the Government of Singapore to halt the scheduled execution of Malaysian national Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, warning that proceeding with the death sentence would constitute a violation of international human rights law.

In a statement issued today, the UN expert said Pannir Selvam, 38, is set to be executed tomorrow, 8 October 2025, following his conviction for drug-related offences. Tidball-Binz reiterated that such offences do not meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” as defined under international law — a category restricted to crimes involving intentional killing.

“Drug-related offences do not meet the ‘most serious crimes’ threshold under international human rights law, which is strictly limited to crimes of intentional killing,” Tidball-Binz said. “The mandatory imposition of the death penalty is per se arbitrary. Carrying out this execution would therefore amount to an arbitrary deprivation of life.”

A Case Marked by Repeated Stays and Rejected Appeals

Pannir Selvam was convicted by the High Court of Singapore on 2 May 2017 for trafficking 51.84 grams of heroin, an offence carrying the mandatory death penalty under the Misuse of Drugs Act. His appeal was dismissed on 9 February 2018, and his subsequent petition for clemency was rejected by the President of Singapore.

Over the years, his execution has been postponed multiple times. The first stay was granted in May 2019, just one day before his scheduled execution, to allow him time to seek legal recourse. A second stay followed in February 2025, but his most recent post-appeal application for another stay was dismissed on 5 September 2025, clearing the way for the current execution date.

Tidball-Binz emphasized that if carried out, this would mark the second execution of a Malaysian national in less than two weeks, heightening concerns about Singapore’s continued use of the death penalty for non-lethal offences.

“If carried out, this would be the second execution of a Malaysian national in less than two weeks,” he said. “Perpetuating executions for drug offences neither protects public health nor public safety.”

International Law and Human Rights Concerns

The UN expert underscored that under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Singapore is a signatory to some relevant principles through customary law, the death penalty should only be imposed for the “most serious crimes.” The use of mandatory capital punishment for drug-related offences, he argued, violates the right to life and constitutes arbitrary execution under international standards.

Tidball-Binz noted that UN human rights mechanisms have repeatedly raised concerns about Singapore’s drug laws, particularly the Misuse of Drugs Act, which allows courts little discretion in sentencing and has been criticized for inadequate fair-trial safeguards and limited access to clemency procedures.

“I acknowledge the Government’s responses to these interventions,” Tidball-Binz said, “but I reiterate my concerns regarding the ‘most serious crimes’ threshold, the use of mandatory death sentences, and fair-trial and clemency safeguards.”

He called upon the Singaporean authorities to commute Mr. Pannir Selvam’s sentence and impose a punishment consistent with international human rights norms.

No Evidence of Deterrence

Tidball-Binz also challenged the Singaporean government’s long-held justification that the death penalty serves as a deterrent against drug trafficking, stating that no credible evidence supports this claim.

“The death penalty does not deter crime more effectively than other punishments,” he said. “Drug-related executions have not been proven to reduce trafficking or consumption rates. Instead, they perpetuate cycles of inequality, targeting low-level couriers rather than major traffickers.”

His statement aligns with findings from UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) and OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), both of which have repeatedly affirmed that executions for drug offences breach international law.

Malaysia’s Reaction and Regional Implications

The case has sparked renewed attention in Malaysia, where human rights groups and government officials have appealed to Singapore for clemency. Malaysia itself abolished the mandatory death penalty in 2023, replacing it with discretionary sentencing for serious crimes, including drug trafficking.

The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reportedly been in contact with Singaporean authorities, seeking to ensure consular access and fair treatment for Pannir Selvam. Civil society organizations such as Amnesty International Malaysia, Lawyers for Liberty, and the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) have condemned the planned execution as “cruel and disproportionate.”

Amnesty International’s regional office stated:

“Executing Pannir Selvam would be a grave miscarriage of justice and a breach of Singapore’s obligations under international law. The government should immediately halt all planned executions and impose a moratorium on the death penalty.”

Broader Context: Singapore’s Capital Punishment Policy

Singapore maintains one of the strictest anti-drug regimes in the world. Under its Misuse of Drugs Act, possession of more than 15 grams of heroin carries the mandatory death penalty, unless the accused can prove they were merely couriers and have cooperated substantially with authorities or have a certificate of substantive assistance from the Public Prosecutor.

Since the resumption of executions in 2022 after a pandemic-related pause, Singapore has executed more than a dozen individuals, mostly for non-violent drug offences. Human rights advocates argue that many of those executed were from marginalized backgrounds and acted as low-level couriers driven by poverty or coercion.

The UN Human Rights Office has previously stated that Singapore’s policy contradicts the UN General Assembly’s repeated calls for a global moratorium on the death penalty and violates the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

A Plea for Clemency and Reform

In his closing remarks, Tidball-Binz reiterated his urgent appeal for clemency and stressed that the irreversibility of the death penalty requires governments to act with restraint.

“In view of the urgency of the matter, and of the irreversibility of the punishment of the death penalty, I call upon all relevant authorities to ensure Mr. Pannir Selvam Pranthaman is not executed,” he said. “Carrying out this execution would violate applicable international human rights norms and standards and constitute an arbitrary deprivation of life.”

Human rights organizations have urged Singapore to join the growing list of countries in Asia — including Malaysia, the Philippines, and Kazakhstan — that have abolished or suspended capital punishment, and to focus instead on rehabilitation, prevention, and regional cooperation in combating drug trafficking.

As of now, unless the Singaporean authorities intervene, Pannir Selvam Pranthaman is scheduled to be executed at dawn on 8 October, a move that could once again draw widespread international condemnation.