Statement / CLA Statement on Imminent Executions in Singapore

The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (“CLA”) expresses grave concern over the imminent execution of five individuals in Singapore.

Datchinamurthy Kataiah is scheduled for execution on 25 September 2025, while the other four are facing immediate risk of execution following the dismissal of their final appeals.

Datchinamurthy Kataiah, along with three others, filed a constitutional challenge in August 2022 against the legal presumptions under Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 that had been used in their convictions. These challenges were dismissed last month.

The CLA reiterates that:

• Under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), a sentence of death “may be imposed only for the most serious crimes”.
• The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions has noted that the imposition of mandatory death penalty is contrary to the international human rights law as judges are deprived of the ability to consider  mitigating circumstances of the convicted person, and, critically, that the death penalty should not be imposed for drug related crimes as it does not meet the threshold of “the most serious crimes”.

The CLA further notes that:

• Under Article 22P (1) of the Constitution of Singapore, the President has a power of clemency, pardon or reprieve of any offender.
• The CLA acknowledges that in August 2025, Singapore’s Cabinet advised the President to grant clemency for the first time in 27 years, demonstrating that clemency remains a viable constitutional mechanism under Article 22P(1) of the Constitution of Singapore.

Noting all the above and cognisant of the international rules and obligations applicable to all nations and the above-mentioned provision of the Constitution of Singapore, the CLA:

• Calls on the Government of Singapore to adhere to international human rights standards and obligations; and
• Calls upon the President of Singapore to reconsider exercising the clemency powers under Article 22P (1) of the Constitution, with the aim of commuting the death sentence.

24^th September 2025

The Commonwealth Lawyers Association is an international non-profit organisation which exists to promote and maintain the rule of law throughout the Commonwealth by ensuring that an independent and efficient legal profession, with the highest standards of ethics and integrity, serves the people of the Commonwealth. commonwealthlawyers.com

View full statement here