Singapore hangs woman for drug trafficking after 19 years

Singapore hung a woman on allegations of drug trafficking on Friday, the first such execution in the country for 19 years.

Saridewi Djamani, 45, was executed for trafficking nearly 31 grams (1.09 ounces) of diamorphine, or pure heroin, the country’s Central Narcotics Bureau said.

She is the first woman to be executed in the southeast Asian country since 2004.

It comes after Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, a 56-year-old Singaporean man, was executed on Wednesday for trafficking 50g of heroin.

Singapore is one of four countries, alongside China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, to carry out executions over drug charges.

Anyone convicted of trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis and 15 grams of heroin faces the mandatory death penalty. Djanami’s execution brings the total number of executions for drugs offences to 15 since March 22 last year.

The narcotics bureau said both prisoners hung this week were accorded due process, including appeals of their conviction and sentence and petition for presidential clemency.

Ms Djamani said she had been unable to give accurate statements to the police as she was suffering from symptoms of drug withdrawals, but this was dismissed by a judge.

According to activists Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), Mr Hussain had argued that his statements were not admissible as the investigating officer had coerced him into making certain admissions, and had promised him a reduced non-capital charge. These claims were disputed by the investigating officer.

More than two-thirds of countries all over the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice, according to Amnesty International.

Singapore’s close neighbour Malaysia has observed an official moratorium on executions since 2018 and recently repealed the mandatory death penalty, including for drug-related offences.

Anyone convicted of trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis and 15 grams of heroin faces the mandatory death penalty. Djanami’s execution brings the total number of executions for drugs offences to 15 since March 22 last year.

The narcotics bureau said both prisoners hung this week were accorded due process, including appeals of their conviction and sentence and petition for presidential clemency.

Ms Djamani said she had been unable to give accurate statements to the police as she was suffering from symptoms of drug withdrawals, but this was dismissed by a judge.