Singapore: A Singapore courtroom docket on Tuesday stayed the execution of a 33-year-antique Indian-starting place Malaysian man, convicted for drug trafficking, after he examined advantageous for COVID-19.
Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam changed into to be hanged at Changi Prison for drug trafficking on Wednesday. Singapore’s High Court on Monday suspended his scheduled execution till an enchantment is heard at some point of a web listening to.
Dharmalingam, who has been on dying row for eleven years, changed into ushered in in short into the dock on the Court of Appeal for the listening to of a last-ditch enchantment in opposition to his dying sentence, Channel News Asia reported.
However, he changed into later taken away, and a decide knowledgeable the courtroom docket that Nagaenthran had examined advantageous for COVID-19.
Justice Andrew Phang, who seemed with fellow judges Judith Prakash and Kannan Ramesh, stated, “that is as a substitute unexpected”.
He stated the courtroom docket changed into of the view that it changed into now no longer suitable to proceed, “given the circumstances”.
“The execution is scheduled for tomorrow,” stated Justice Phang.
“… If the applicant has been stricken through COVID-19 … it is our view that the execution can’t take location anyway,” the decide stated.
The prosecution stated they handiest simply heard of the improvement and had to take instructions.
“I assume here, we need to use logic, not unusualplace feel and humanity,” stated Justice Phang.
He adjourned the listening to to a date but to be constant and issued a live of the execution till court cases are concluded.
Lawyer M Ravi had taken up Nagaenthran’s case on the 11th hour, beforehand of his scheduled striking on Wednesday.
His courtroom docket software on Monday for a judicial overview of the case on grounds of Nagaenthran’s purported intellectual incapacity changed into dismissed, however the decide granted a brief live of his execution till after Mr Ravi appealed in opposition to the dismissal.
The case changed into fast-tracked and the enchantment set to be heard withinside the maximum courtroom docket on Tuesday afternoon, with a packed court docket along with overseas media and nearby activists.
Ravi changed into visible hugging a fellow recommend after the live of execution changed into announced, in line with a Channel News Asia report.
No different info of whilst Nagaenthran examined advantageous for COVID-19 have been given, in line with the Channel.
Nagaenthran changed into sentenced to dying in 2010 for uploading 42.72g of heroin into Singapore in 2009 in a package strapped to his thigh. He failed in his appeals to the High Court in 2011, to the Supreme Court in 2019 and in his petition to the president for clemency.
The case drew worldwide interest as Nagaenthran’s approaching execution neared, with a web petition in opposition to his dying sentence drawing approximately 70,000 signatures as of Tuesday, and insurance through worldwide media.
Malaysia’s top minister wrote to his Singapore counterpart at the matter, and human rights businesses in addition to Virgin Group founder Richard Branson additionally weighed in at the issue.