31/07/2023

Nightlife outlets at Orchard Towers closing 31 Jul 2023

All nightlife outlets at Orchard Towers cease public entertainment except one
Nightclubs and bars at Orchard Towers were informed in 2022 that their public entertainment licences would not be renewed beyond May 31, 2023. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

The party has all but stopped at Orchard Towers, after nightlife outlets there ceased public entertainment operations on Tuesday.

The police said in a statement the same day that only one establishment – which it did not name – got the green light to continue operating, having been granted an interim two-month extension of its public entertainment licence.

It had made an appeal to the Public Entertainment Appeal Board, and can continue providing public entertainment until Sept 30, or until a decision on its appeal is made, whichever is earlier.


Nightclub doors at Singapore's '4 Floors of Whores' are closing for good
A KTV at the entrance of Orchard Towers. Marielle Descalsota/Insider© Marielle Descalsota/Insider

For decades Singapore's Orchard Towers has been known for its nightlife and sex tourism. Authorities have given the nightclubs until July 31 to move out. The crackdown on nightclubs threatens workers' livelihoods and the loss of income could cause some workers to spiral into debt.

Bryan Ong grew up in Singapore. His upbringing was anything but typical. His father, Murray, was a seaman who often traveled to Brazil and dreamed of bringing the country's electric parties to Singapore. In 1998, when Ong was 9, his dad opened a nightclub and named it Ipanema after the bossa nova song "The Girl From Ipanema." But what really sets the nightclub — and Ong's childhood — apart is the nightclub's location. Ipanema is in Singapore's Orchard Towers. In its heyday, the building was full of go-go bars, strip clubs, and discos that drew in hordes of people seeking a good time. Locally it's known as "Four Floors of Whores." "In the '90s, I grew up in a childcare center right here in Orchard Towers," Ong told me. "It was packed. There were people everywhere, on all four floors."

Orchard Towers has since "toned down massively," Ong said. It's still home to Singapore's most famous unofficial red-light district, where freelance sex workers ply their trade, but time is running out. In August, authorities began forcing nightclubs at Orchard Towers to shut down — and Ipanema was no exception. A police spokesperson told The Straits Times, Singapore's national paper, that concerns with "public safety, vice activities, and nuisance" led to its decision to do away with nightclubs. Now Orchard Towers is transforming into another neighborhood mall, with a handful of new tenants filling up the empty spaces, selling antiques, carpets, and photo frames. Even as the new crowd moves in, the livelihoods of the nightclub owners and the sex workers who depended on Orchard Towers for income are at stake.


Orchard Towers management takes 5 unit owners to court over alleged illegal businesses on their premises
Legal tussle between Orchard Towers management and five proprietors, occupiers

A legal tussle has been playing out in court between the management of Orchard Towers, and five proprietors and their occupiers.

The five cases were taken to the High Court amid claims that several by-laws have been breached. According to court documents filed in February this year, the unit owners were accused of breaching the by-laws, which involved allowing the operation of illegal businesses and providing sexual services under the guise of massage or beauty parlours on their premises.

Other complaints include excessive noise from these locations, failing to be adequately clothed, and behaving in a manner and using language that would negatively affect the building's reputation. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of alleged touting, physical grabbing of members of the public, and inappropriate dressing were submitted to the courts. Once known for its raunchy nightlife, Orchard Towers has been trying to revamp its image.



As Singapore’s Orchard Towers closes its nightclub doors, sex workers worry for their futures
Foreign nationals are seen gathered outside a nightclub in Singapore’s Orchard Towers following a major police anti-vice operation in 2001. Photo: Singapore Police Force via AFP

In its heyday, Orchard Towers – known locally as ‘4 Floors of Whores’ – was full of go-go bars, strip clubs and discos that drew in hordes of crowds. Now, those nightclubs that remain have until the end of the month to move out, leaving exotic dancers, live bands and sex workers in the lurch.

Orchard Towers has since “toned down massively”. It’s still home to Singapore’s most famous unofficial red-light district, where freelance sex workers ply their trade, but time is running out. In August, authorities began forcing nightclubs at Orchard Towers to shut down. Police told local paper The Straits Times that concerns with “public safety, vice activities, and nuisance” led to its decision to do away with the nightclubs.

Now Orchard Towers is transforming into another neighbourhood shopping centre, with a handful of new tenants filling up the empty spaces, selling antiques, carpets, and photo frames. Even as the new crowd moves in, the livelihoods of the nightclub owners and the sex workers who depended on Orchard Towers for income are at stake. The building has a lingering reputation as dangerous, largely because of two high-profile murders that happened there in 2002 and 2019. But in recent years, violent crime at Orchard Towers has diminished, with only one brawl reported since the impending shutdown of nightclubs was announced last year.


Orchard Towers nightlife outlets may be allowed to operate until July, subject to conditions
This deadline extension will facilitate Orchard Towers’ nightlife outlets’ transition to alternative arrangements. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

Orchard Towers’ public entertainment (PE) outlets can now renew their PE licences till this July if they meet the requirements for renewal. There will be no further renewal of PE licences after that.

On July 15, 2022, the police had informed business operators and property owners of Orchard Towers’ PE outlets that it will not grant new PE licences, nor renew PE licences for existing PE outlets beyond May 31, 2023. But according to a statement issued by the police on Thursday, they have now extended the deadline by two months for Orchard Towers’ nightlife outlets to stop PE operations. This came after PE operators and the Singapore Nightlife Business Association appealed to extend their PE licences.

The Government has considered the appeal. It will not be changing the policy direction, but the police had agreed to a deadline extension, the statement said. This deadline extension will facilitate Orchard Towers’ nightlife outlets’ transition to alternative arrangements, the statement added.



'It came as a shock': Orchard Towers nightclubs, bars worried for their future after non-renewal of licences
Orchard Towers at night. (File photo: CNA/Jalelah Abu Baker)

Nightclubs and bar operators said they were not the only ones to blame for Orchard Towers’ seedy reputation, and expressed shock and worry about the authorities’ decision not to renew their licences.

The operators were notified last month that all public entertainment licences for businesses at Orchard Towers would not be renewed. This was part of the Government's "continued efforts to manage the law and order situation and disamenities" at the building, the notice from the police said. Nightclubs and bar operators said they were not the only ones to blame for Orchard Towers’ seedy reputation, and expressed shock and worry about the authorities’ decision not to renew their licences.

The operators were notified last month that all public entertainment licences for businesses at Orchard Towers would not be renewed. This was part of the Government's "continued efforts to manage the law and order situation and disamenities" at the building, the notice from the police said.


I went clubbing at Orchard Towers

It was a random Friday evening when a bunch of our colleagues asked: "Eh, have y'all been clubbing at Orchard Towers before?" Orchard Towers, sometimes known as the "Four Floors Of Whores", belongs to what many would dub the seedier side of town.

In the 1980s, nightclubs and massage parlours had begun to pop up there, with many of these establishments walking the lines of legality. But what is it like to party in a club there? None of us in the office knew. When it came to clubbing, most of us were the typical oh-let's-go-to-Zouk-and-drink-plum-shots-while-hoping-they-play-Steve-Aoki.

So somehow they decided to send us (Andrew and Tanya) to go check it out and see if it would really be all that different from a typical club. Don't ask why it was us. The answer will probably hurt our feelings.

Police raids massage parlours & entertainment outlets
A video captured by a passer-by shows a group of women being herded up a police truck.
PHOTO: Screengrab/Facebook/Shin Min Daily News

As the cost of living continues to rise in Singapore, it seems that some streetwalkers are turning to other means to bring home the bacon. Recently, some 50 women were arrested when the police conducted a raid at Geylang Lorong 23.

A video of the incident has also been circulating online, showing the group of women being herded into a police truck which was parked near a coffee shop, reported Shin Min Daily News on Thursday (June 15). Some of the women were seen attempting to cover their faces, for fear of being recognised.

An eyewitness surnamed Yang, who works as a chef in the vicinity told the Chinese daily that the police conducted the raid on Monday evening (June 12). The 50-year-old said that these women would loiter at the coffee shop and offer to drink with the men for a small fee. As a result, the coffee shop has also inevitably attracted many drunkards who visit the premises solely for the women. "The most I've seen is about 40 or 50 women, who are mostly from Vietnam. A small number of them are from China," Yang said. After drinking with the men, they would then solicit for sexual services, charging anywhere between $100 to $200. "After they agree on a price, they will head to a hotel room. Even though police have conducted raids in this area before, these women still return because there's a demand [for their services]," he added.


related:
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

30/07/2023

Health benefits to hit the running track

There is no simpler or cheaper exercise than a daily jog around the neighbourhood

Running is one of the most popular exercises in the world, not surprising given it is the easiest to pick up and requires minimum gear.

You do not need a gym membership or to own any specialised equipment. All you need is a pair of running shoes and you are good to go.

Start at your own pace, set your preferred duration or distance, and run any time and anywhere. Solo runs are great for clearing the mind while group runs can motivate and push you out of your comfort zone.

Posted by at
Labels: , ,

29/07/2023

Credit Card Expiration Dates

What You Need To Know

Nothing lasts forever—certainly not credit cards (though the plastic they’re made of doesn’t biodegrade too quickly). Here’s what any cardholder should know about credit card expiration dates:
  • An expiration date on a credit card is simply the date on which the card itself will no longer work and must be replaced. For cardholders, it doesn’t mean the actual credit account will cease to exist, it simply means you’ll need a new piece of plastic from the bank. Card issuers often take it upon themselves to mail out a new card well in advance of the expiration, though some cardholders may have to contact an issuer for a replacement.
  • Expiration dates appear on the front or back of a credit card in a two-digit month/year format. Credit cards expire at the end of the month written on the card. For example, a credit card’s expiration date may read as 11/24, which means the card is active through the last day of November 2024. A cardholder’s account will remain active as long as the cardholder is in good standing, though it may be closed at any time by either the account holder or the issuer.
  • Expiration dates appear on the front or back of a credit card in a two-digit month/year format. Credit cards expire at the end of the month written on the card. For example, a credit card’s expiration date may read as 11/24, which means the card is active through the last day of November 2024. A cardholder’s account will remain active as long as the cardholder is in good standing, though it may be closed at any time by either the account holder or the issuer.
  • After a credit card expires, it will no longer be possible to use it to make purchases. The card won’t work in stores and with online purchases and will return a “declined” notice from the bank.
  • Most credit card issuers automatically mail cardholders a replacement card 30 to 60 days before the card’s expiration date. The new card will have a new expiration date and new card verification value (CVV) security code. Unless the account is upgraded or product changed, the credit card number usually stays the same.
  • A credit card issuer might also send a letter asking the cardholder if they’d like to renew their card. The card issuer then has the option to reevaluate an account before they send out a new card. This might happen if the cardholder is in poor standing or has ceased using the account, in which case the issuer may decide to terminate the relationship and not send a new card as a result).
  • Credit card expiration dates can feel like a hassle, but they have some specific benefits. Not only do they provide a shiny new card in the mail, they also help ensure a card is always in working order when you set out to use it and provide critical protection against fraud. Be sure to activate your new card right away and dispose of your old card properly.

What Happens When Your Credit Card Expires?

Today, you will be hard-pressed to find a consumer who doesn’t have at least one credit card in their wallet. When used properly, credit cards can be an excellent tool for building a strong financial future. However, credit cards have an expiration date, which is one aspect of having a card that some people find bothersome or confusing. Here is a look at what happens when your credit card expires, and the things you should look out for as a savvy consumer.

Credit cards have expiration dates for several reasons. The first is to allow for normal wear and tear of the physical card. (Only the card itself expires, not the credit card account.) The chip on the card can become worn, and plastic can break. So at certain intervals—typically every three years—your credit card company will send you a new card. 

The second big reason is fraud prevention. Whether you’re using the card in person, over the phone, or online, the expiration date provides an additional data point that can be checked to make sure the card information is valid and you are the legitimate user.

Other reasons for expiration dates: They present the card issuer with a marketing opportunity and a chance to periodically re-evaluate the terms of the credit card based on your current creditworthiness. Card companies also may use the expiration date as an opportunity to send you a card with an updated design or logo.



Credit Card Expiration Date: Methods To Check & Important Facts

Credit Card Expiration Date is displayed on the front side of the credit card in (MM/YY) format. Interpretation :
  • It informs the credit card owner about the expiry date of the card i.e. the month, past which card will be declined for all kinds of transactions from the bank end.
  • Most banks allow card users to use credit cards until the month-end mentioned on the card.
  • In most cases, banks themselves send a replacement card before the credit card expires.
Alike debit cards, credit cards also have an expiration date. Printed on the front side of the card, it is crucial to verify the card’s authenticity. In other words, it is another security feature. Post credit card expiry, card renewal becomes a must, if you wish to continue using the service.

Important facts about Credit Expiration:
  • Post credit card expiry, credit card accounts are still operationally active, provided card owner has not given any instructions to close it.
  • Expiry Date being a security feature is embossed on credit cards to counter any fraud attempts. It is like an additional protective layer which both merchants & retailers use to authenticate the card.
  • Wear and tear happen to the card with time, rendering them unusable. This is also a reason behind introducing the concept of expiry date in credit cards.
  • Technological upgrades happen at a revolutionary speed, making old cards operating tech obsolete, i.e. why a credit card cannot have lifetime validity. So, to keep them apprised with the latest technological advancements expiry date plays a crucial role.
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

28/07/2023

Singapore executes a woman for first time in 20 years

Singapore executes a woman for first time in almost two decades
Changi prison in Singapore. Singapore has hanged Saridewi Djamani, the first woman to be executed by the city state in almost 20 years. Photograph: How Hwee Young/EPA

Singapore has hanged Saridewi Djamani, the first woman to be executed in the city state in almost 20 years, amid an outcry from human rights groups. The 45-year-old Singaporean national, who was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking about 30g of heroin, was executed early on Friday, the Central Narcotics Bureau said. She is believed to be the first woman executed in Singapore since 2004 when a 36-year-old hairdresser, Yen May Woen, was hanged for drug trafficking, according to the local rights group Transformative Justice Collective.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy, the International Federation for Human Rights and Amnesty International had urged the Singaporean government to halt the execution. Saridewi is the second person to be executed this week and the 15th since the government resumed executions in March 2022. Executions were paused for two years during the pandemic, since when the city state has carried out an average of one a month, campaigners say. On Wednesday, Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, a 56-year-old Singaporean Malay man, was put to death on drugs-related charges.

Chiara Sangiorgio, an Amnesty International death penalty expert, said this week had “cast a harsh and tragic spotlight on the complete lack of death penalty reform in Singapore”. Amnesty has called on governments, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Narcotics Control Board to “increase pressure on Singapore to end its highly punitive approach to drug control policies”.



Singapore executes woman for the first time in 20 years
Attendees at an anti-death penalty protest in Singapore on 3 April 2022

Singapore on Friday executed a woman for the first time in almost 20 years, officials confirmed. Singaporean national Saridewi Djamani, 45, was found guilty of trafficking 30g (1.06oz) of heroin in 2018.

She is the second drug convict to be executed this week, after fellow Singaporean Mohd Aziz bin Hussain and the 15th since March 2022. Her execution comes just two days after Aziz was hanged on Wednesday, following his conviction of trafficking 50g of heroin in 2017. In April, another Singaporean, Tangaraju Suppiah, was executed for trafficking 1kg (35oz) of cannabis that he never touched. Authorities say he co-ordinated the sale via mobile phone.

British billionaire Sir Richard Branson again criticised Singapore for its executions, saying the death penalty is not a deterrent against crime. "Small-scale drug traffickers need help, as most are bullied due to their circumstances," Mr Branson said on Twitter on Thursday. Saridewi was one of two women on death row in Singapore, according to the Transformative Justice Collective, a Singapore-based human rights group. She was the first woman executed by the city-state since hairdresser Yen May Woen in 2004, the group said. Yen was also convicted of drug trafficking.


Singapore executes first woman in nearly two decades for drug trafficking
Executions in Singapore are carried out at Changi Prison

Singapore on Friday hanged a woman convicted of attempting to traffic an ounce of heroin, the first execution of a female prisoner in nearly two decades in what human rights groups decried as a “grim milestone” for the city state and its notoriously harsh anti-drug laws.

Saridewi Djamani, a 45-year-old Singaporean, was put to death on Friday in Changi Prison, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a statement issued hours after the hanging took place. She was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty in 2018 after being convicted of possessing 31 grams of heroin. “She was accorded full due process under the law and was represented by legal counsel throughout the process,” the CNB said, adding that Singapore’s laws permit the death penalty for trafficking anything above 15 grams of heroin. Saridewi is the first woman to be hanged in Singapore since hairdresser Yen May Woen, 36, in 2004, also convicted of drug trafficking.

Singapore maintains some of the world’s harshest drug laws and its government remains adamant that capital punishment works to deter drug traffickers and maintain public safety. Under the law, anyone caught trafficking, importing or exporting certain quantities of illegal drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine or cannabis products receives the mandatory death sentence. Singapore has now hanged 15 people – including foreigners and an intellectually disabled man – since resuming executions for drug convictions last year, in what activists say is an accelerated pace after ending a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. “Capital punishment is used only for the most serious crimes, such as the trafficking of significant quantities of drugs which cause very serious harm, not just to individual drug abusers, but also to their families and the wider society,” the CNB said.


Singapore Executes First Woman Convict in Nearly 20 Years for Drug Trafficking

In a rare execution, Singapore hanged a 45-year-old Singaporean woman, Saridewi Binte Djamani, for drug trafficking.  She was convicted of possessing over 30.72 grams of pure heroin, which is more than twice the threshold for the death penalty under the country’s strict drugs legislation. The execution marks the city-state’s first female execution in nearly 20 years.

“The capital sentence of death imposed on Saridewi Binte Djamani was carried out on 28 July 2023,” the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a statement. Singapore’s Narcotics Bureau said that the capital punishment was carried out on the stipulated date after Saridewi exhausted all legal avenues, including an appeal that was dismissed in October 2022. Her petition for clemency was also unsuccessful. Singapore’s strict drug laws include the death penalty for drug trafficking offenses involving significant quantities of drugs. Capital punishment is seen as a critical component of Singapore’s comprehensive harm prevention strategy, targeting both drug demand and supply.

The execution of Saridewi has sparked debates on the effectiveness and ethics of capital punishment, especially for drug-related offences. The latest case highlights Singapore’s firm stance on combating drug trafficking and its commitment to enforcing stringent laws to deter drug-related crimes. This comes a few days after 57-year-old Mohd Aziz bin Hussain was hanged on Wednesday after being convicted of trafficking approximately 50 grams of heroin. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, called on the government to halt the practice, arguing that there was no evidence to support the death penalty’s effectiveness as a deterrent to crime. Singapore’s stance on capital punishment for drug-related offenses places it alongside China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia as one of the four countries that executed prisoners for such crimes last year.


For trafficking 30 grams of heroin
Local rights organisation Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) said a 45-year-old woman convict who TJC identified as Saridewi Djamani is set to be sent to the gallows on Friday

Singapore is all set to execute a woman for the first time in 20 years for trafficking 30 grams of heroin, groups said Tuesday, while urging the executions be halted.

Local rights organisation Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) said a 45-year-old woman convict who TJC identified as Saridewi Djamani is set to be sent to the gallows on Friday. She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin. If executed, she would be the first woman to be hanged in Singapore since 2004 when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, said TJC activist Kokila Annamalai.

Singapore imposes the death penalty for certain crimes, including murder and some forms of kidnapping. It also has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws: trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis and 15 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty. At least 13 people have been hanged so far since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the Covid-19 pandemic.


Singapore executes 14th drug convict since last year
An activist wears a T-shirt with a sign against the death penalty during a protest against the death penalty at Speakers' Corner in Singapore on April 3, 2022. (Photo: AFP)

Singapore on Wednesday hanged a local man convicted of drug trafficking, officials said, two days before the scheduled execution of the first woman prisoner in the city-state in nearly 20 years.

Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, convicted and sentenced to death in 2017 for trafficking "not less than 49.98 grams" (1.76 ounces) of heroin, was executed at Changi Prison, the Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement. The 57-year-old was the 14th convict sent to the gallows since the government resumed executions in March 2022 after a two-year pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hussain's previous appeals against his conviction and sentence had been dismissed, and a petition for presidential clemency was also denied.

A woman drug convict, 45-year-old Saridewi Djamani, is scheduled to be hanged on Friday, according to the local rights group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC). She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin. If carried out, Djamani would be the first woman executed in Singapore since 2004, when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, according to TJC activist Kokila Annamalai.


Singapore hangs a man for drug trafficking. It will hang a woman on Friday — the first in 19 years
Singapore executed a man Wednesday, July 26, 2023, for drug trafficking and is set to hang a woman Friday — the first in 19 years — prompting renewed calls for a halt to capital punishment. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)

Singapore executed a man Wednesday for drug trafficking and is set to hang a woman Friday — the first in 19 years — prompting renewed calls for a halt to capital punishment. Mohammed Aziz Hussain, 56, was hanged at Singapore’s Changi Prison and has been buried, said activist Kirsten Han of Transformative Justice Collective, which advocates for abolishing the death penalty in Singapore.

A citizen of the city-state, he was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 50 grams (1.75 ounces) of heroin, Han said. Saridewi Djamani, a 45-year-old Singaporean woman, is due to be hanged Friday after she was convicted and sentenced in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams (1.05 ounces) of heroin, the group and other human rights organizations said. Han said the last woman known to have been hanged in Singapore was 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen, also for drug trafficking, in 2004. “Singaporean authorities must immediately stop these blatant violations of the right to life in their obsessive enforcement of misguided drug policies,” Adilur Rahman Khan, secretary-general of the International Federation of Human Rights, said in a statement.

If Djamani’s is executed as planned, Singapore will have executed 15 people for drug offences since it resumed hangings in March 2022, an average of one execution every month, Transformative Justice Collective, Amnesty International and seven other groups said in a joint statement. Anyone — citizens and foreigners alike — convicted of trafficking more than 500 grams (17.64 ounces) of cannabis and 15 grams (0.53 ounces) of heroin faces the mandatory death penalty. Human rights groups, British business mogul Richard Branson and the United Nations have urged Singapore to halt executions for drug-related offenses as increasing evidence shows the death penalty is ineffective as a deterrent. But Singapore authorities insist that all prisoners get due process of law and that capital punishment remains key to helping halt both drug demand and supply.

related:


Richard Branson steps in to help woman on death row

Singapore is set to execute a 45-year-old woman, Saridewi Djamani, for drug trafficking, marking the first execution of a woman in the country in almost two decades. She was found guilty of trafficking 30g of heroin in 2018.

This comes just three days after another Singaporean, Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, was executed for trafficking 50g of heroin. Singapore’s strict anti-drug laws impose the death penalty for trafficking over 15g of heroin and 500g of cannabis. Critics, including British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, have condemned Singapore’s use of the death penalty, arguing that it does not serve as an effective deterrent against crime. Saridewi’s case has drawn attention from human rights advocates who claim that the death penalty has no unique deterrent effect and that it defies international safeguards.

Singapore’s authorities defend their tough stance on drugs, asserting that it helps maintain the country’s low crime rate and public safety. However, anti-death penalty advocates dispute this claim, stating that the evidence does not support the idea that capital punishment curbs drug-related offenses. As one of the few countries actively carrying out drug-related executions, Singapore’s decision to execute Saridewi sparks renewed debate over the use of the death penalty in drug cases.


Singapore To Execute First Woman On Drug Charges In Two Decades

Singapore is set to execute Saridewi Djamani for drug trafficking, the first woman to be executed in two decades. Capital punishment reignites debate over strict anti-drug policies and calls for criminal justice reforms for deterrence and human rights.

In a historic and controversial move, Singapore is set to carry out its first execution of a woman in over 20 years. The execution is on path despite an appeal for clemency and an international plea for a moratorium on capital punishment. The woman, identified as Saridewi Djamani, was found guilty of drug trafficking and is set to be executed by hanging, rekindling the debate surrounding Singapore's harsh stance on drug-related crimes.

The case of Saridewi Djamani has drawn widespread attention and criticism from human rights organisations worldwide. According to reports, she was arrested after attempting to smuggle 30 grams of heroin into the country. Despite efforts to commute her sentence, including a plea for clemency filed by her lawyers, Singaporean authorities are determined to proceed with the execution, signalling a resolute adherence to their strict anti-drug laws.

Singapore: First woman set to be executed in nearly 20 years
FIDH urges Singaporean authorities to immediately halt the imminent execution of two death row prisoners, including the first woman in almost 20 years

Mohammed Aziz Hussain, a 56-year-old Singaporean man, and Saridewi Djamani, a 45-year-old Singaporean woman, are scheduled to be executed by hanging at Singapore’s Changi Prison on 26 and 28 July 2023, respectively. Both prisoners were found guilty of drug-related offenses and given the execution notice one week before their scheduled execution.

“Singapore may reach another grim milestone by executing the first woman in nearly two decades. Singaporean authorities must immediately stop these blatant violations of the right to life in their obsessive enforcement of misguided drug policies,” said FIDH Secretary-General Adilur Rahman Khan. Mr. Hussain was convicted of trafficking around 50g of heroin and sentenced to death by the High Court in 2018. Ms. Djamani was convicted of trafficking around 30g of heroin and sentenced to death by the High Court in 2018.

Since March 2022, 13 individuals - all of whom had been found guilty of drug-related offenses - have been executed in Singapore. The last known execution of a woman in the city-state took place in 2004.
Singapore to execute first woman in nearly 20 years: rights groups
Death row inmates get pre-execution photo shoots for loved ones in Singapore

Singapore is set to hang two drug convicts this week, including the first woman to be sent to the gallows in nearly 20 years, according to rights groups, which are urging the executions be halted.

On Tuesday, local rights organisation Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) said a 56-year-old man convicted of trafficking 50 grams of heroin is expected to be hanged on Wednesday at the Southeast Asian city state’s Changi Prison.

A 45-year-old woman convict who TJC identified as Saridewi Djamani is also set to be sent to the gallows on Friday. She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin. If carried out, she would be the first woman to be executed in Singapore since 2004 when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, said TJC activist Kokila Annamalai.


Amnesty International calls for urgent stay as Singapore prepares to execute first woman in 20 years
An activist wears a T-shirt with a sign against the death penalty during a protest against the death penalty at Speakers’ Corner in Singapore

Authorities in Singapore have been urged to halt the hanging of two people on drug related convictions, including the first woman set for execution in nearly 20 years.

The two are due to be hanged this week for trafficking a few grams of heroin, in keeping with Singapore’s stringent penalty against drug-related crimes. The first punishment is expected on Wednesday, in which a 56-year-old Singaporean Malay man – who was convicted of trafficking around 50g of diamorphine – will be hanged after being served the execution notice last week. The unnamed prisoner was sentenced to death in 2018.

On Friday, the authorities will also execute a 45-year-old woman identified as Saridewi Djamani. The Singaporean national, the first woman to be executed in the spate of sentences this year, was given the punishment notice last Friday. She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30g of diamorphine. Nearly 60 prisoners in Singapore’s jails are on the death row mostly for drug-related offences, as the city-state continues with its zero-tolerance legal punishment against drugs.

Singapore to execute a woman for first time in almost 20 years
A prison building in Singapore. The country has some of the world’s harshest drug laws. Photograph: Lionel Ng/AP

Singapore is due to execute a woman for the first time in almost 20 years on Friday, one of two killings planned for this week.

Singaporean national Saridewi Djamani was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty in 2018, after she was found guilty of possession of about 30g of heroin for the purposes of trafficking, according to the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), which tracks death row cases.

If it goes ahead, activists believe she would be the first woman to be executed in Singapore since 2004 when Yen May Woen, a 36-year-old hairdresser, was hanged for drug trafficking.

Transformative Justice Collective 23 July

[The state intends to murder two people this week. One of them will be the first woman to be executed by Singapore in around 20 years.]

The Transformative Justice Collective has confirmed that two executions will be carried out this week, on Wednesday (26 July) and Friday (28 July). Both prisoners were convicted of drug offences. The first prisoner is a 56-year-old Singaporean Malay man convicted of trafficking around 50g of diamorphine and sentenced to death in 2018. He was given an execution notice last Wednesday. He had argued that most of his statements were not admissible as the investigating officer had coerced him into making certain admissions, and had promised him a reduced non-capital charge. The investigating officer disputed these claims. The High Court judge wrote that if he “was truly fearful of the IO as he claimed, his fear appeared to have been wholly self-induced.” The judge found that all the statements were given voluntarily and therefore admissible.

The second prisoner, 45-year-old Saridewi Djamani, is a Singaporean woman who was given notice of her scheduled execution last Friday. Saridewi was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30g of diamorphine. The last known execution of a woman was in 2004.

2 S’poreans To Be Executed For Drug Offences, Including 1st Woman In 20 Years
The last known execution of a woman was reportedly in 2004

Two executions are reportedly set to take place in Singapore this week. This includes the country’s first execution of a woman in two decades. Both of the prisoners were previously convicted of drug offences.

The first is a 56-year-old man. He had previously been found guilty of trafficking around 50g of diamorphine. He was sentenced to death in 2018 after trafficking diamorphine, also known as heroin. A 45-year-old Saridewi Djamani is the other prisoner facing the gallows. She was also sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking diamorphine.

Criminal justice reform group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) shared in a Facebook post that they have confirmed two upcoming executions in Singapore. They will be carried out on Wednesday (26 July) and Friday (28 July). Both the prisoners who are facing the gallows were previously convicted of drug offences.

The first woman to be executed in Singapore in about 20 years

Singapore is set to execute two of its citizens this week, one of them the first woman to be executed in about 20 years. We defend the death penalty with cries of sovereignty, but the War on Drugs doesn't even have Singaporean roots.

Last week, two families received the dreaded notices giving them seven days' notice of their loved ones' impending executions. Both prisoners were sentenced to death, for separate cases, in 2018, which means they've each spent about five years on death row. The first to receive an execution notice last week is a Singaporean Malay man in his 50s who was convicted of trafficking almost 50g of heroin. His family received the letter on Wednesday, which means that the state plans to hang him this coming Wednesday, 26 July. His family has not given consent for his name to be made public.

The other prisoner is Saridewi Djamani, a 45-year-old Singaporean woman who was convicted of trafficking about 30g of heroin. If the state goes ahead, she will be executed on Friday, 28 July—the first woman to be executed in Singapore in around two decades. The last known execution of a woman was Yen May Woen, a hairdresser, in 2004.
For first time in 20 years, Singapore to hang woman convicted of drug trafficking
Singapore has some of the world's stringent anti-narcotic laws, with major convictions turning into death penalty. At least 13 people have been hanged so far since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the COVID-19 pandemic Photograph:(Reuters)

For the first time in 20 years, Singapore is about to execute a woman who was convicted of drug trafficking, a local human rights organisation has claimed, urging the government to halt executions.

The 45-year-old woman, identified as Saridewi Djaman, is among the two convicts who will be sent to the gallows. While the other convict—a 56-year-old man found guilty of trafficking 50 grams of heroin— is scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday (July 26).

Saridewi, who was convicted of trafficking around 30 grams of heroin—will be sent to the gallows this Friday (July 28). She was sentenced to death in 2018. If carried out, she would be the first woman to be executed in Singapore since 2004 when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for the same crime, said activist Kokila Annamalai— a member of the local rights organisation Transformative Justice Collective (TJC)— AFP news agency reported on Tuesday (July 25).

Singapore set to execute two convicted drug traffickers, including first woman in 20 years, this week

Singapore will execute two more death row inmates convicted of drug trafficking this week, according to reform group Transformative Justice Collective.

The group last night said that a 56-year-old Singaporean Malay man and a 45-year-old Singaporean woman will be hanged on Wednesday and Friday respectively after being sentenced to death for drug offenses on separate accounts in 2018. They were both given the harrowing week’s notice before the execution.

The woman named Saridewi Djamani is allegedly the first female to be executed since 2004. She was caught trafficking 30g of diamorphine aka heroin. During the trial, she claimed that her statements to the police weren’t accurate because she was experiencing drug withdrawal at the time and wasn’t able to “think properly.” But the High Court found that her withdrawal symptoms were “minimal and not noticeable” and not detrimental enough to give statements.


Stop two imminent and unlawful executions for drug trafficking

In response to news that two executions for drug-related offences have been set to take place on Wednesday 26 July and Friday 28 July, Amnesty International’s death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said:
  • “It is unconscionable that authorities in Singapore continue to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control. There is no evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect or that it has any impact on the use and availability of drugs. As countries around the world do away with the death penalty and embrace drug policy reform, Singapore’s authorities are doing neither.
  • “The only message that these executions send is that the government of Singapore is willing to once again defy international safeguards on the use of the death penalty.
  • “It is past time Singapore reverse course; consign the death penalty to the history books; and take a serious look at offering more effective protection from drug-related harm, such as by expanding access to health and social services, including for people who use drugs and addressing the underlying socio-economic causes that lead people to engage in the drug trade.
  • “We renew our call on governments, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) to increase their pressure on Singapore so that all executions end and drug control policies become rooted in the promotion and protection of human rights.
  • “This must start today, with an unequivocal condemnation of the set executions this week of two people convicted of drug trafficking.”


Singapore prepares to execute first woman in nearly 20 years for trafficking 30 grams of heroin
Local rights organisation Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) said a 56-year-old man convicted of trafficking 50 grams of heroin is scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday at the Southeast Asian city-state's Changi Prison (file image of an activist protesting an executionin Singapore in 2021)

Singapore imposes the death penalty for certain crimes, including murder and some forms of kidnapping. It also has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws: trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis and 15 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty.

At least 13 people have been hanged so far since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the Covid-19 pandemic. One of them is 64-year-old Nazeri Lajim, who was executed for drugs trafficking on July 22, 2022. Rights watchdog Amnesty International today urged Singapore to halt the impending executions. Back in April, Tangaraju Suppiah was hanged in defiance of a plea by the United Nations Human Rights Office for Singapore to 'urgently reconsider'.

'It is unconscionable that authorities in Singapore continue to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control,' Amnesty's death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said in a statement. 'There is no evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect or that it has any impact on the use and availability of drugs. 'As countries around the world do away with the death penalty and embrace drug policy reform, Singapore's authorities are doing neither,' Sangiorgio added. Singapore insists that the death penalty is an effective crime deterrent.



The Death Penalty in Singapore: Rights experts call for moratorium on the death penalty
UNICEF/Josh Estey Only in exceptional circumstances and with incontrovertible evidence of intentional murder does international law permit the death penalty. (file)

Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council on Friday called for Singapore to impose an immediate moratorium on capital punishment, denouncing the Government’s continued use of the death penalty for drug-related crimes. They strongly condemned the execution this week of Tangaraju s/o Suppiah, who was convicted of conspiring to traffic cannabis from Malaysia to the country in 2013.

Mr. Suppiah, a 46-year-old Tamil from Singapore, was hanged on Tuesday despite claims that he had not been provided with adequate interpretation during police interrogations. “The death penalty can only be carried out after a legal process with every possible safeguard that ensures a fair trial, including legal representation at every stage of proceedings and necessary interpretation in all oral proceedings,” the experts said.

They added that the rate of execution notices for drug-related offences in Singapore was “highly alarming”. Mr. Suppiah reportedly was the 12th person to be hanged since March 2022, according to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, which had urged the Government not to go ahead with his execution, citing concerns around due process and respect for fair trial guarantees. The UN experts said States that have not yet abolished the death penalty may only impose capital punishment for the most serious crimes. “Under international law, only crimes of extreme gravity involving intentional killing can be considered as ‘most serious’. Drug offences clearly do not meet this threshold,” they argued. The rights experts also voiced concerns about discriminatory treatment of people from minority groups, such as Mr. Suppiah, as well as reports of reprisals against their lawyers.



Drug Couriers May Escape Singapore Gallows
AFP News - Yong Yun Leong (left) and Yong Yun Chung (centre), the brothers of convicted Malaysian drug trafficker Yong Vui Kong, leave the High Court with lawyer M Ravi, in Singapore on April 4, 2011. Yong Vui Kong, on death row for drug trafficking had what could be his final appeal thrown out on Wednesday by the city-state's highest court

Two drug mules on death row in Singapore were given the chance to escape the gallows on Wednesday after helping in anti-narcotics efforts.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers said on Wednesday that public prosecutors would certify that Singaporean Subashkaran s/o Pragasam and Malaysian Yong Vui Kong have “substantively assisted” the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) “in disrupting drug trafficking activities within and outside of Singapore".

Subashkaran, 29, and Yong, 24, who face the death penalty for drug trafficking, could therefore find their sentences reduced
Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)