Disabled Malaysian loses appeal, will be hanged in Singapore
CTV
A Malaysian man with a mental disability lost a final legal appeal Tuesday against his death sentence in Singapore and faces execution soon, a lawyer and rights activists said.
Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam has been on death row since 2010 for trying to smuggle less than 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into Singapore. At an earlier court hearing, his IQ was revealed to be 69 — a level internationally recognized as an intellectual disability, but the court ruled Nagaenthran knew what he was doing by violating Singapore's harsh anti-drug laws.
M. Ravi, a lawyer assisting the case, wrote on Facebook that Singapore's top court ruled that Nagaenthran's appeal was “an abuse of process and that international law does not apply."
“Nagaenthran, who is mentally disabled, is due to be hanged possibly in the next few days," he said.
U.K.-based rights group Reprieve said Nagaenthran faces imminent execution unless he receives a pardon from Singapore President Halimah Yacob.
