Singapore execution toll set to climb after inmates' complaint of no access to counsel dismissed

A Singapore court has thrown out the lawsuit filed by 24 death row inmates who said their access to counsel had been hampered after a climate of fear sparked by the heavy penalties imposed on lawyers who represented prisoners like them, a day after they were told to submit elaborate paperwork in support of their case despite their lack of consel.

The decision last night automatically paves the way for two more hangings tomorrow, which would bring the city-state's execution toll to 10 this year, the highest in Southeast Asia for 2022.

In their suit, the 24 inmates had referred to the recent cost orders awarded to the attorney-general, including against lawyers Charles Yeo and M Ravi who were charged with "abusing the process" in representing death row prisoners.

They cited instances where prisoners, including those who have been executed in recent months, had to represent themselves because lawyers were fearful of similar actions against them by the attorney-general.

But the judge said the cost orders were justified, adding that lawyers might have "perfectly valid and legitimate reasons" for refusing to take up inmates' cases.

The judge also accused the prisoners of relying on "hearsay evidence" from "unidentified lawyers" as well as "family, friends and activists assisting their families".

He gave the prisoners a deadline of this morning for their request for a stay of execution for Abdul Rahim Shapiee, in part of an apparent pattern of judges in Singapore issuing tight deadlines for death row inmates to submit complex legal documents in support of their applications. 

Two days ago, the group was given until the end of the business day to send further submissions to support their suit, leaving them with only hours to work through complex legal terminology and procedures.

Singapore has come under increasing international scrutiny over its spate of executions, which has seen eight inmates hanged in just four months for drug offences, most recently a Malaysian and a Singaporean on Aug 2.

The United Nations was the latest to join the condemnation from rights groups and activists, with its Human Rights Office saying it "deplored" the latest executions and was deeply troubled by the other two scheduled for tomorrow.

"We also call on the government of Singapore to end the use of mandatory death sentences for drug offences, commute all death sentences to a sentence of imprisonment and immediately put in place a moratorium on all executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty," it added.

The Singapore government has scoffed at those who question its death penalty for drug offences, despite statistics showing that most individuals hired to courier drugs are from poor families.

Instead, the PAP-led regime insists that the death penalty has been a deterrent against drug crimes.