The Facts
- On Wednesday, 46-year-old Tangaraju Suppiah was executed at Singapore’s Changi prison complex, having previously been arrested for the intention to smuggle approximately 2.2 lbs of cannabis.
- Suppiah was arrested in 2014 and convicted of abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic 1017.9g of cannabis into Singapore in 2017, before being sentenced to death in 2018. He denied committing any wrongdoing.
- Despite not being found in possession of illegal substances, prosecutors said Suppiah had been involved in coordinating the delivery of cannabis, tracing two phone numbers used by a deliveryman back to him.
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The Spin
Narrative A
The death penalty violates international norms and breaches human rights — killing innocent people for allegedly smuggling cannabis is cruel and misguided. The so-called war on drugs disproportionately affects the most marginalized and minoritized in society. Meanwhile, there’s no evidence that the death penalty deters or reduces drug trafficking, which is why Singapore must review its drug policy and move away from capital punishment.
Narrative B
Singapore's zero-tolerance stance and strict narcotics laws have allowed the country to remain safe, secure, and relatively drug-free — which shows that capital punishment does work to deter drug traffickers. The death penalty is essential to Singapore's criminal justice system, and since it is an effective deterrent against drug-related crimes, the public widely supports it.
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