Singapore To Execute Poet Pannir Selvam On Oct 8 Says Lawyer

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Singapore plans to execute Malaysian death-row inmate Pannir Selvam Pranthaman on Wednesday (Oct 8), according to lawyer N Surendran.
He said Pannir’s family was informed about the matter by Singapore authorities this morning.
Condemning the decision, the activist said executing Pannir - who was arrested for importing 51.84g of drugs in 2014 - would not stop the drug trade.
“He’s a much-loved son and brother. He is a poet and writer who has published books of poetry, including ‘Death Row Literature’ last week.
“To execute him is inhumane, wasteful, and achieves no real purpose.
“Capital punishment for drugs is not just unacceptable, it has no effect in stopping the drug trade,” Surendran told Malaysiakini.
Lawyer N SurendranIf Singapore proceeds with its plan, Pannir would be the second Malaysian that the republic executes in less than two weeks.
K Datchinamurthy, also convicted over a drug trafficking offence, was executed in Singapore on Sept 25.
According to Bernama, Pannir was convicted by the High Court on May 2, 2017, for importing not less than 51.84g of diamorphine into Singapore, and was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty.
His appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on Feb 9, 2018, and his clemency petition to the Singapore president was rejected.
Pannir was granted a stay of execution twice. The first was in May 2019, on the basis that he intended to challenge the rejection of his clemency petition and the public prosecutor’s decision not to issue a certificate of substantive assistance to him.
The second stay of execution was granted in February 2025, pending the determination of a post-appeal application in a capital case (PACC).
His bid for a stay of execution was later dismissed by the Singapore Court of Appeal on Sept 6. - Mkini

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