<p>A 68-year-old man from Singapore charged for drug trafficking was hanged after the city-state resumed executions after a hiatus of two years during the pandemic.</p>

<p>Singapore, which has one of the most draconian rules against drug trafficking, conducted its last execution&nbsp;in November 2019.</p>

<p>Abdul Kahar bin Othman was hanged on Wednesday. The court had convicted him on two charges of trafficking 66.77 grams of diamorphine in 2013. He was sentenced to death in 2015.</p>

<p>According to reports, the execution occurred despite pleas from rights activists, including the UN Human Rights office, to commute Kahar's sentence to life imprisonment.</p>

<p>A group of anti-death penalty activists even held a candlelight vigil outside the prison compound in solidarity.</p>

<p>Kirsten Han, a member of the Transformative Justice Collective, a local activist group that campaigns for the abolishment of the death penalty in Singapore, was at the vigil.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Abdul Kahar will be hanged at 6am — less than 4 hours away. I can’t begin to imagine how he must feel; his brother Mutalib said that during family visits today Kahar was talking about how he wants to live, and how he doesn’t understand why the state is so determined to kill him. <a href="https://t.co/nnzqzR5ozu">pic.twitter.com/nnzqzR5ozu</a></p>
— Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) <a href="https://twitter.com/kixes/status/1508878703756947458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>“The Singapore government regularly claims that the death penalty is an effective deterrent to drug trafficking. They talk about the harms that drugs can inflict upon people with addictions, and insist that the use of capital punishment will help protect people and save lives. But there is no clear evidence that the death penalty is more effective than any other punishment in deterring drug offences,” Han told The Guardian.</p>

<p>Abdul Kahar’s story showed the situation was far more complicated than the “bad” drug trafficker and “victim” drug user narrative, she added.</p>

<p>According to Han, Kahar came from a poor family and had struggled with drug addiction since he was a teenager.</p>

<p>He spent more time behind bars than as a free man. Kahar was released from prison in 2005 after a decade of preventive detention.</p>

<p>Han has expressed concerns that executions might be accelerated in the city-state after a two-year halt.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


A 68-year-old man from Singapore charged for drug trafficking was hanged after the city-state resumed executions after a hiatus of two years during the pandemic.

A 68-year-old man from Singapore charged for drug trafficking was hanged after the city-state resumed executions after a hiatus of two years during the pandemic. Singapore, which has one of the most draconian rules against drug trafficking, conducted its last execution in November 2019. Abdul Kahar bin Othman was hanged on Wednesday. The court had convicted him on two charges of trafficking 66.77 grams of diamorphine in 2013. He was sentenced to death in 2015. According to reports, the execution occurred despite pleas from rights activists, including the UN Human Rights office, to commute Kahar's sentence to life imprisonment. A group of anti-death penalty activists even held a candlelight vigil outside the prison compound in solidarity. Kirsten Han, a member of the Transformative Justice Collective, a local activist group that campaigns for the abolishment of the death penalty in Singapore, was at the vigil. Abdul Kahar will be hanged at 6am — less than 4 hours away. I can’t begin to imagine how he must feel; his brother Mutalib said that during family visits today Kahar was talking about how he wants to live, and how he doesn’t understand why the state is so determined to kill him. pic.twitter.com/nnzqzR5ozu — Kirsten Han 韩俐颖 (@kixes) March 29, 2022 × “The Singapore government regularly claims that the death penalty is an effective deterrent to drug trafficking. They talk about the harms that drugs can inflict upon people with addictions, and insist that the use of capital punishment will help protect people and save lives. But there is no clear evidence that the death penalty is more effective than any other punishment in deterring drug offences,” Han told The Guardian. Abdul Kahar’s story showed the situation was far more complicated than the “bad” drug trafficker and “victim” drug user narrative, she added. According to Han, Kahar came from a poor family and had struggled with drug addiction since he was a teenager. He spent more time behind bars than as a free man. Kahar was released from prison in 2005 after a decade of preventive detention. Han has expressed concerns that executions might be accelerated in the city-state after a two-year halt. (With inputs from agencies)

Singaporean man hanged for drug trafficking, activists raise alarm over more executions after 2-year halt

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="videos-block">
<div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HwRRgxD7dg8"></iframe></div>
</div>

<div class="media-description">
<p>A staunch critic of President Duterte&#39;s war on drugs has been arrested on drug trafficking charges. Here&#39;s more to this story (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>A Philippine senator and staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte&#39;s war on drugs was arrested on Friday&nbsp;on charges she received money from drug dealers inside the country&#39;s prisons.</p>

<p>Senator Leila de Lima, her former driver and bodyguard, and a former national prison official were ordered arrested by a local court which found merit in criminal charges filed by the Department of Justice last week.</p>

<p>&quot;The truth will be out in the right time. If they think they can silence me, if they think I can no longer fight for what I&#39;m fighting for, especially finding the truth behind the daily killings, the other issues, the pressures and tyranny under Duterte&#39;s regime, then it is my honour to get arrested because of what I&#39;m fighting for,&quot; she told reporters shortly before law enforcers escorted her away from her office.</p>

<p>About 7,700 people have died in the narcotics crackdown, with more than 2,500 people killed in anti-drug operations, according to police.</p>

<p>She is facing two more drug-related charges in the same court.&nbsp;The criminal cases filed against the senator and two others are non-bailable.</p>

<p>De Lima, a human rights lawyer before joining government, says the charges are a vendetta against her after she last year led a Senate probe into alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte`s anti-drugs crackdown.</p>

<p>De Lima was removed by Duterte&#39;s allies as head of the investigation into extrajudicial killings and just days later came under investigation herself in a congressional inquiry in which witnesses testified to her having a pivotal role in the narcotics trade.</p>

<p>The Justice Department said de Lima received five million Philippine pesos ($99,850) delivered by the former prison official to her home when she was justice minister between 2010 and 2016.</p>

<p>Duterte&#39;s chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, said in a statement on Thursday&nbsp;de Lima&#39;s arrest was an opportunity to answer the allegations in court.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


De Lima says the charges are retribution for leading a Senate probe into alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte's anti-drug crackdown

A staunch critic of President Duterte's war on drugs has been arrested on drug trafficking charges. Here's more to this story (WION) × A Philippine senator and staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs was arrested on Friday on charges she received money from drug dealers inside the country's prisons. Senator Leila de Lima, her former driver and bodyguard, and a former national prison official were ordered arrested by a local court which found merit in criminal charges filed by the Department of Justice last week. "The truth will be out in the right time. If they think they can silence me, if they think I can no longer fight for what I'm fighting for, especially finding the truth behind the daily killings, the other issues, the pressures and tyranny under Duterte's regime, then it is my honour to get arrested because of what I'm fighting for," she told reporters shortly before law enforcers escorted her away from her office. About 7,700 people have died in the narcotics crackdown, with more than 2,500 people killed in anti-drug operations, according to police. She is facing two more drug-related charges in the same court. The criminal cases filed against the senator and two others are non-bailable. De Lima, a human rights lawyer before joining government, says the charges are a vendetta against her after she last year led a Senate probe into alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte`s anti-drugs crackdown. De Lima was removed by Duterte's allies as head of the investigation into extrajudicial killings and just days later came under investigation herself in a congressional inquiry in which witnesses testified to her having a pivotal role in the narcotics trade. The Justice Department said de Lima received five million Philippine pesos ($99,850) delivered by the former prison official to her home when she was justice minister between 2010 and 2016. Duterte's chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, said in a statement on Thursday de Lima's arrest was an opportunity to answer the allegations in court. (Reuters)

Senator and renowned President Duterte critic de Lima arrested for drug-related charges

anti-drug-crackdown

Anti Drug Crackdown, News on Anti Drug Crackdown, stories on Anti Drug Crackdown, articles on Anti Drug Crackdown, Anti Drug Crackdown stories at Wion, Anti Drug Crackdown news, Anti Drug Crackdown latest news

anti drug-crackdown

Singaporean man hanged for drug trafficking, activists raise alarm over more executions after 2-year halt

Senator and renowned President Duterte critic de Lima arrested for drug-related charges