In Singapore, Saridewi Djamani, a 45-year-old local woman, was hanged in the first execution of a female in the country in close to 20 years, prompting protests from human rights organizations. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) reported that Saridewi, who had been convicted of drug smuggling, was executed on Friday morning.
Convicted in 2018 for trafficking approximately 30 grams (1.06 ounces) of heroin, Saridewi is thought to be the first female to be executed in Singapore since 2004. The last woman to face capital punishment was Yen May Woen, a 36-year-old hairdresser, who was hanged for drug trafficking, according to the local rights group Transformative Justice Collective.
Saridewi’s defense argued that her ability to provide accurate statements to the police had been hindered by her drug withdrawal symptoms at the time. However, a high court judge dismissed this argument, stating that Saridewi had been experiencing only mild to moderate withdrawal from methamphetamine during her interrogation and that this had not impeded her ability to make statements.
International organizations such as the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the International Federation for Human Rights, and Amnesty International had all appealed to the Singaporean government to stop the execution.
This week saw Saridewi as the second person executed and the 15th person executed since Singapore recommenced executions in March 2022. Singapore had previously halted executions for two years due to the pandemic. However, since resuming, the city-state has carried out an average of one execution per month, according to activists.
Earlier in the week, Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, a 56-year-old Singaporean Malay man, was also executed after being convicted of drug-related charges. According to Amnesty International’s death penalty expert, Chiara Sangiorgio, the executions this week highlight the dire need for death penalty reform in Singapore.
The Singaporean government continues to argue that the death penalty is an effective deterrent against drug-related crime and is largely supported by the public. It also maintains that it administers fair judicial processes. The CNB stated that Saridewi was granted full legal due process and had legal representation throughout the proceedings. Also learn about Examining the Controversial Use of the Death Penalty in Singapore.
