PETALING JAYA: The Singapore government has been urged to halt the hanging of Malaysian, Abd Helmi bin Ab Halim, at Singapore’s Changi prison, which is due to take place on Nov 22.
Helmi was convicted and sentenced to death for trafficking in 16.56g of diamorphine on Mar 24, 2017.
In a statement today, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) advisor N. Surendran (pix), said it was highly improbable that Helmi received a fair trial.
“In the Singapore legal system, an unusually high proportion of those charged for drug trafficking are eventually convicted. This itself suggests a legal system biased against the accused in drug trafficking cases.
“It is also internationally known that Singapore does not have an independent judiciary; their courts are a little more than a subservient arm of the ruling PAP government,“ he said.
Surendran also called upon Singapore to adhere to international law, whilst indicating that Malaysians are being targeted in drug cases in the island nation.
“The imposition of the death penalty for drug crimes has been declared by the UN to be in violation of international law and amounts to unlawful killing. In defiance of these international legal norms, Singapore continues to brutally execute low-level drug mules.”
“Remarks made in May by Singapore Home Minister K Shanmugam clearly indicate that Malaysian citizens have long been targeted. In these circumstances, could Helmi have received a fair trial?” he asked.
Surendran also called upon the Malaysian government to represent Helmi.
“We also urge the Malaysian government to make urgent representations to Singapore to save the life of this Malaysian citizen.”
Helmi, 36, is from Johor and is married with children. He has consistently denied any knowledge of the drugs he is alleged to have been carrying.
