Escape from the Hangman's Noose? Singapore's discretionary death penalty for drug traffickers

• Main Author: CHAN, Wing Cheong
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
• Subjects: Asian Studies; Criminal Law; Food and Drug Law
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/4326; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sol_research/article/6284/viewcontent/HangmanNoose_pv.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

After nearly fifty years of the mandatory death penalty for drug offences, Singapore amended its law in 2012 to give judges a choice in certain situations to impose a sentence of death or life imprisonment instead. However, this change should not be misunderstood as an alteration in Singapore’s zero-tolerance approach towards illegal drugs. Escaping the mandatory death penalty regime under the new law requires fulfilment of strict conditions. This article reviews the exceptional circumstances that are required before judges are given the discretion to impose the death penalty or not and the application of the new law by the Singapore courts.