Singapore steps up capital punishment — three executed in back-to-back cases
Over the span of two days, the government of Singapore carried out executions of three men convicted of serious drug-trafficking offences, as part of its aggressive enforcement of drug laws. On 26 November 2025, a 53-year-old Singaporean — whose identity was not publicly disclosed — was executed after being convicted of possessing controlled drugs with intent to traffic. The following day, 27 November 2025, two more men — including a Malaysian national convicted of heroin trafficking — were also hanged.
Official rationale and legal process
The executions were carried out under Singapore’s mandatory death penalty regime for certain serious drug offences, a system that has drawn international scrutiny. According to the country’s authorities, the men had received full due process: represented by legal counsel, tried and sentenced by the courts, and their petitions for clemency were rejected.
The government underscored that the death penalty is reserved for “the most serious crimes … such as trafficking of significant quantities of drugs which cause very serious harm” to individuals, families and society at large.
Human-rights concerns and domestic backlash
The latest round of hangings brings the total number of executions in Singapore for 2025 to 17 — the highest in over two decades. Civil society groups and anti-death-penalty campaigners have strongly condemned the executions, especially given that a constitutional challenge to the mandatory death penalty for drug offences remains pending before Singapore’s courts.
Critics argue that carrying out death sentences while the legal basis for mandatory death penalty is under review undermines the rule of law and disregards due process. As one advocacy coalition stated, “every time the state attempts to kill, Singaporeans must make our opposition known.”
Regional and international reactions
The surge in executions and the use of the death penalty for drug trafficking have drawn widespread international condemnation. In response, a joint local statement — issued by a coalition of human-rights organisations — reiterated calls for Singapore to impose an immediate moratorium on executions and review its drug-offence sentencing laws.
At the same time, supporters of the government’s hardline approach argue that the death penalty serves as a necessary deterrent in a city-state that has long positioned itself as tough on illicit drugs, maintaining that strict enforcement protects public safety. Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB)+1
What’s next — uncertainty and debate ahead
With the legal challenge to the mandatory death penalty still pending — a hearing for which is scheduled in early December — many fear that the latest executions may complicate or politicize the case.
The recent executions have reignited debates within Singapore and abroad about capital punishment, human rights, deterrence effectiveness, and the moral and legal legitimacy of executing individuals for drug offences. As public scrutiny intensifies, pressure may mount on policymakers to reconsider the mandatory death-penalty framework, or at least introduce greater judicial discretion.
In the meantime, for the families of those executed — and for many Singaporeans — the state’s firm stance on drugs remains a stark reminder of the human cost tied to the country’s zero-tolerance policy.
