SUHAKAM: Proposed Review Of The Death Penalty For Drug Offences Is Welcomed

PRESS STATEMENT 

PROPOSED REVIEW OF THE DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG OFFENCES IS WELCOMED 

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) welcomes the proposal to review and ultimately to abolish the mandatory death penalty for drug offenders, as announced by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, which will allow the court the liberty and discretion to determine punishment based on the gravity of the offence.This move is in line with the spirit of Article 3 and Article 6 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) respectively that reaffirm the right of a person to life and the right not to be subject to torture, or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It is also in line with the United Nations General Assembly Resolutions, first adopted in 2007, calling for a moratorium on executions, with a view to eventually abolishing the death penalty. 

The Commission has consistently called for the Government to consider a moratorium on the death penalty or commuting this form of punishment to life imprisonment, especially for those who have been on death row for more than five years. It also wishes to call upon the Government to review the relevance and effectiveness of capital punishment and to join the other 140 UN member states to completely abolish the death penalty. The Commission will continue to support the Government in realising full compliance with international human rights principles and norms specifically the UDHR.

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“HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL”

TAN SRI HASMY AGAM
Chairman
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)
22 October 2012

“Hak Asasi Untuk Semua”

“Human Rights For All”