The United Nations Human Rights Office has called on Singapore to halt the planned execution of Rosman bin Abdullah, a 55-year-old man sentenced to death for drug-related offences.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), urged the government to commute his sentence to imprisonment.
Rosman, convicted in 2010 for trafficking 57 grams of diamorphine, received the mandatory death penalty.
His appeals, including a petition for clemency, have been rejected. The execution, scheduled for Friday, 22 November 2024, would be the third for drug offences in Singapore this month and the eighth in Singapore this year.
Shamdasani criticised the use of capital punishment for drug-related offences, calling it incompatible with international human rights law.
She cited growing evidence that the death penalty is ineffective as a deterrent and urged Singapore to review its stance in line with the global shift toward abolition.
OHCHR noted that experts have been in touch with the Singapore Government about this case, including a letter in 2022, to which the Government replied.
“Resorting to this type of punishment to prevent drug trafficking is not only illegal under international law, it is also ineffective. There is a lack of any persuasive evidence that the death penalty contributes more than any other punishment to curbing or preventing drug trafficking,” the experts said.
“There is a need to move from a reliance on criminal law and to take a human rights-based approach in relation to drug use and drug use disorders,” they added.
“We urgently call on the Singaporean authorities to halt the execution of Mr Rosman bin Abdullah and commute his death sentence to imprisonment consistent with international human rights law and standards,” the experts said.
Rosman’s case has drawn attention for his lengthy 14-year incarceration on death row, the longest in Singapore’s history.
Advocacy groups, including the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), have criticised the conditions of his confinement and the broader implications of the state’s actions.
Last Friday, Singapore executed two other death row prisoners, including a 39-year-old Malaysian and a 53-year-old Singaporean.
Like Rosman, they had been on death row for over a decade. Advocates argue this prolonged wait, combined with the imminent threat of execution, constitutes psychological torture.
TJC noted significant concerns about the intellectual disabilities of recent death row inmates.
Psychiatric assessments revealed that Rosman suffers from cognitive impairments linked to undiagnosed ADHD, childhood neglect, and abuse. These factors, advocates argue, limited his ability to fully comprehend the consequences of his actions.
A Malaysian man executed last week reportedly had an IQ of 67, indicating intellectual disability, while his Singaporean co-defendant was assessed as having limited cognitive capacity. Despite these findings, Singapore’s legal system proceeded with their executions.
Rosman’s case has also been marked by controversy involving his treatment by state institutions.
A court ruling in October found that prison authorities and the Attorney-General’s Chambers had unlawfully accessed and forwarded private letters from death row inmates, including Rosman.
Despite this breach, no significant redress was offered, and Rosman received only S$10 in nominal damages.
In a poignant letter shared by TJC, Rosman’s niece described his resilience and optimism despite years of solitary confinement.
TJC also published Rosman’s reflections on his plight, where he lamented the lack of proportional justice for low-level drug offenders like himself, who often serve as runners rather than kingpins.
Amidst international scrutiny, activists have urged President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to intervene by granting clemency.
Rosman’s supporters argue that his case merits further consideration, particularly given the psychological and legal complexities involved.
As Rosman’s execution looms, the UN Human Rights Office and advocacy groups continue to call for a reassessment of Singapore’s use of the death penalty.
The growing international consensus against capital punishment underscores the urgency of their plea.
