Pannir Selvam Pranthaman’s Death Sentence Postponed Just Before Scheduled Execution
The Court of Appeal in Singapore has granted a stay of execution for Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, a convicted drug courier, just one day before his scheduled death. Pranthaman, who has been fighting his capital punishment since his conviction in 2017, was initially set to be executed on February 20, 2025. However, following an application to make a post-appeal submission, Judge Woo Bih Li ruled in his favour, temporarily halting the execution to allow his appeal to proceed.
Pranthaman’s case has been marked by a long series of legal challenges. In 2017, he was convicted for importing over 51 grams of diamorphine into Singapore, a crime which carried the mandatory death penalty. His initial appeal was dismissed in 2018, and despite petitions for clemency to the president, his sentence was upheld. A subsequent attempt to delay his execution in 2019 was granted, and he has since pursued further legal avenues, including challenging the handling of his correspondence by the Singapore Prison Service.
In his latest application, Pranthaman raised several grounds for appeal, including a complaint about his previous lawyer’s conduct, a constitutional challenge regarding the Misuse of Drugs Act, and the improper disclosure of his correspondence by the prison service. The Court found merit in two of these arguments, granting him permission to continue with his appeal on these points, while dismissing the third.
Justice Woo emphasised that the critical issue was whether the new claims could impact the validity of Pranthaman’s conviction or sentence, noting that previous rulings had rejected the significance of the disclosure of correspondence. As a result, the Court of Appeal ordered a stay of execution until further review.
Pranthaman’s fight against the death penalty continues, with this ruling adding another chapter to his ongoing legal battle.
