Singapore Executed a Man for Trafficking 1 kg Cannabis

On Wednesday, Singapore authorities executed a man convicted of trafficking one kilogram of cannabis, ignoring international calls to abolish capital punishment.

Tangaraju Suppiah, a 46-year-old Singaporean, was hanged early on Wednesday in Changi Prison and the family have received a death certificate, his sister Leelavathy Suppiah told CNN. Tangaraju was first sentenced to death in 2018 for "abetting the trafficking of more than one kilogram of cannabis (1,017.9 grams)," according to a statement from the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). The court found he was in phone communication with two other men caught trying to smuggle cannabis into Singapore.

Previous appeals against his conviction and death sentence were dismissed by the courts in 2019 while petitions for presidential clemency were also unsuccessful, CNB added.

"Tangaraju was accorded full due process under the law and had access to legal counsel throughout the process," CNB's statement said while describing capital punishment as "part of Singapore's comprehensive harm prevention strategy."

Notably, Tangaraju's sentence was lambasted by rights groups and campaigners for its severity at a time when many other nations, including neighboring countries, have adopted a more lenient approach towards drugs and capital punishment.

While cannabis has been legalized in a growing number of nations worldwide, Singapore maintains some of the world's harshest drug laws and its government remains adamant that capital punishment works to deter drug traffickers and must remain in place to maintain public safety.

Tangaraju's sister Leelavathy spoke of her brother's anguish and determination before his death sentence was carried out.

"Even from...