Singapore has rejected an appeal for clemency by a Nigerian,
Chijoke Stephen Obioha due to be executed on Friday for being in possession of
cannabis. His family was informed today of his failed clemency appeal, Amnesty
International has said.
He was found in possession of more than 2.6kg of
cannabis in April 2007, surpassing the amount of 500 grams that triggers the
automatic presumption of trafficking under Singapore law.
Amnesty's Rafendi Djamin said:
"We are dismayed
that clemency has not been granted in his case but remain hopeful that they
won’t carry out this cruel and irreversible punishment against a person
sentenced to the mandatory death penalty for a crime that should not even be
punished by death.
The death penalty
is never the solution. It will not rid Singapore of drugs. By executing people
for drug-related offences, which do not meet the threshold of most serious
crimes, Singapore is violating international law. Most of the world has turned
its back on this ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment."
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