Singapore executes woman over drugs, 1st in nearly 2 decades

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Singapore on Friday executed the first woman in nearly two decades over drug charges.

According to the Central Narcotics Bureau of Singapore, Saridewi Binte Djamani, 45, was executed early today.

It was the second such execution this week.

Djamani was “convicted of having in her possession for the purpose of trafficking, not less than 30.72 grams of diamorphine, or pure heroin,” the bureau said.

She was convicted and sentenced to capital punishment on July 6, 2018, however, her appeal against death sentence was dismissed on Oct. 06 last year.

“Saridewi was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel throughout the process,” it added.

This is the first time since 2004, when hairdresser Yen May Woen, 36, also convicted of drug trafficking, was executed in Singapore, which has one of the world’s harshest drug laws.

“Saridewi’s petition to the (Singaporean) president for clemency was unsuccessful,” the bureau said.

On Wednesday, the bureau said it executed Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, 57, who was convicted of having in his possession for the purpose of trafficking, not less than 49.98 grams of diamorphine, or pure heroin.

Singapore saw its first death penalty implemented this year in April when it executed Tangaraju Suppiah over drug charges. Tangaraju, 46, was accused of “abetting” a “conspiracy to traffic drugs.”

Since last year, Singapore has carried out at least 15 executions. It resumed implementing death penalties in March 2022.

Amid calls for abandoning capital punishment, advocacy group Transformative Justice Collective said yet another execution has been scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 3.