Is Singapore punishing mules instead of drug kingpins?

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Singapore Accused of Punishing Drug Mules Over Kingpins

Lawyers For Liberty has accused the Singapore government of executing drug couriers while allowing drug kingpins to operate with impunity. The group claims that Pannir Selvam, a 32-year-old Malaysian scheduled for execution on May 24, 2019, for drug trafficking, provided information about a suspected mastermind named Anand. However, the Singapore public prosecutor allegedly denied Pannir a certificate of assistance, which could have resulted in a life sentence instead of the death penalty.
Allegations of Targeting Mules

The advocacy group asserts that Singapore's approach disproportionately targets low-level drug couriers, referred to as "mules," while higher-level drug traffickers, or "kingpins," evade severe punishment. Pannir Selvam, convicted of trafficking 51.84 grammes of diamorphine in June 2017, has consistently maintained his innocence and alleged irregularities in the legal proceedings. Lawyers For Liberty highlighted the case of Prabu N. Pathmanathan, another Malaysian executed in October 2018 for a similar drug courier offense, as further evidence of this alleged pattern.
Questionable Clemency and Execution Notice Process

Further concerns have been raised regarding the clemency process and the notification of Pannir's execution. The letter refusing clemency from President Halimah Yacob is dated May 17, 2019, yet the notification letter to Pannir's family about his impending execution was posted on May 16, 2019. Lawyers For Liberty views this timeline as an irregularity, suggesting that the clemency plea may not have received proper consideration. They argue that this sequence of events indicates an intention to proceed with the execution regardless of the clemency outcome.
Calls for Intervention and Sentence Commutation

Lawyers For Liberty is urging the Malaysian government to intervene in Pannir's case and request Singapore to drop the execution, drawing parallels to Malaysia's own move to abolish the mandatory death penalty for drug offenses. The group advocates for Pannir's sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment, arguing that executing low-level drug mules is an ineffective method for combating drug problems and invites international condemnation. Recent surveys indicate that even a portion of Singapore's youth question the death penalty for drug-related offenses.

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Is Singapore punishing mules instead of drug kingpins?

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