{"id":15870,"date":"2025-02-20T03:47:20","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T04:47:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tuas.link\/?p=15870"},"modified":"2025-02-21T01:31:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T01:31:33","slug":"stay-of-execution-granted-as-over-200-gather-in-vigil-for-pannir-selvam-pranthaman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tuas.link\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/stay-of-execution-granted-as-over-200-gather-in-vigil-for-pannir-selvam-pranthaman\/","title":{"rendered":"Stay of execution granted as over 200 gather in vigil for Pannir Selvam Pranthaman"},"content":{"rendered":"

A candlelight vigil held on 19 February 2025 at Speakers\u2019 Corner in Hong Lim Park in memory of Pannir Selvam Pranthaman turned into an emotional gathering as news broke that his execution had been stayed.<\/p>\n

The event, attended by over 200 people, was also a collective memorial for 12 individuals executed in the past year under Singapore\u2019s capital punishment laws.<\/p>\n

Pannir, 37, had been sentenced to death in 2017 for importing 51.84g of diamorphine into Singapore. He was due to be executed at dawn on 20 February 2025, but the Court of Appeal granted him permission<\/a> to make a post-appeal application, effectively staying the execution.<\/p>\n

The decision followed concerns over his legal representation and a pending constitutional challenge related to Singapore\u2019s drug laws.<\/p>\n

Pannir argued that there is a strong public interest in the proper prosecution of Law Society complaints, emphasising that it is crucial to upholding the integrity of the legal profession. His case raised questions about legal ethics, as he alleged professional misconduct<\/a> by his former lawyer<\/p>\n

An evening of remembrance and resistance<\/h3>\n

Organised by the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), the vigil saw activists, students, artists, and family members speak out against capital punishment. Attendees held candles and placards, chanting slogans such as \u201cJustice for Pannir\u201d and \u201cExecution is not the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fake tombstones were set up in remembrance of those who had been executed, with flowers carefully laid before them. As open flames were not permitted, candles were prohibited, and electric lamps were used instead by the participants.<\/p>\n

The National Parks Board, which oversees approvals for events at Speakers\u2019 Corner, explicitly banned prayers at the vigil, citing concerns over religious activity.<\/p>\n

Officials stated in their email to TJC that \u201cprayer sessions at Speakers\u2019 Corner are considered to be related, directly or indirectly, to religious beliefs or to religion in general and are not allowed under the Public Order (Unrestricted Area \u2013 Speakers\u2019 Corner) Order 2023.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite this restriction, TJC had previously conducted prayers at a 2022 event without issue or complaint.<\/p>\n

Sobi, an activist from TJC, condemned Singapore\u2019s use of the death penalty, calling it a \u201cshameful legacy\u201d and urging immediate reforms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the last 12 months alone, we have lost 12 precious people who have been murdered by the state,\u201d they stated. \u201cWe also learned today that two more execution notices have been scheduled for next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several speakers shared the personal stories of those executed in the past year, highlighting their struggles. \u201cWe lost Masoud, who dreamed of being a human rights lawyer,\u201d one activist said. \u201cEven after receiving his execution notice, he spent his last days helping other prisoners with their legal applications.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The voices of the vigil<\/h3>\n

A poignant moment of the evening came when a song written by Pannir was played. His lyrics, touching on isolation and hope, resonated deeply with those gathered. His poem Death Row Literature, written in 2019, was also recited, drawing attention to the dehumanising nature of capital punishment.<\/p>\n

Dayana, a former youth worker, spoke passionately about the root causes of crime. \u201cAddiction is not caused by the consumption of drugs,\u201d she asserted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt comes from pain, alienation, and a lack of purpose. If the state really cared about people suffering from addiction, they would focus on creating conditions where people don\u2019t need to escape their pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

A polytechnic student, speaking on behalf of Singaporean youth, reflected on the privilege of everyday worries compared to the reality faced by those on death row.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was sitting on a Sunday night thinking about homework,\u201d he said. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine what it must be like for Pannir, sitting alone in Changi Prison, knowing he is a dead man walking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Artist Valencia, who has worked on anti-death penalty campaigns, spoke about the transformative power of art and expression. \u201cPannir is an artist,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wrote poetry, he composed music. But the state reduced him to nothing more than a statistic, a person to be erased.\u201d<\/p>\n

The vigil also featured performances by musicians who have been vocal against the death penalty. Veteran artists Neo Swee Lin and Lim Kay Siu, both long-time abolitionists, performed a song with altered lyrics, calling for a more compassionate society.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want executions carried out in our name,\u201d Neo said, adding, \u201cThe violence of the state does not bring peace to our society.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Neo Swee Lin and Lim Kay Siu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

News of the stay of execution<\/h3>\n

As the vigil neared its conclusion, news of the stay of execution reached the crowd. The announcement was met with cheers, relief, and emotional embraces. While attendees celebrated the development, organisers stressed that the fight was not over.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe work is far from over,\u201d TJC stated in response to The Online Citizen.<\/p>\n

\u201cPannir needs to file a follow-up application, and he has a very short window to do so. Meanwhile, two others face execution next Wednesday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking on behalf of TJC, journalist and activist Kirsten Han noted that the turnout, despite short notice, reflected growing public concern over the death penalty. \u201cPeople are moved by the stories of those on death row and feel strongly that the state should not be allowed to kill in our names,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Despite the stay, Pannir remains on death row, awaiting the next phase of legal proceedings.<\/p>\n

A call for change<\/h3>\n

Throughout the evening, speakers and attendees reiterated their call for the abolition of the death penalty, arguing that it disproportionately affects vulnerable individuals and fails as a deterrent. Several referenced international research challenging the effectiveness of capital punishment in reducing drug-related crimes.<\/p>\n

Terese, A law student, referencing legal studies, highlighted the problematic nature of sentencing laws. \u201cThe quantities of drugs carried are determined by kingpins, not couriers,\u201d she explained. \u201cThis means the very people who are executed have the least power in the drug trade.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Dayana emphasised the systemic issues leading to drug offences. \u201cPoverty, trauma, and systemic neglect are the real causes,\u201d she said. \u201cKilling people like Pannir does not address any of these issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the vigil concluded, the crowd raised their candles in unison, chanting, \u201cJustice for Pannir.\u201d The event ended with a moment of silence, followed by a final song in memory of those who had lost their lives to capital punishment.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

oplus_137363456<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

For Pannir\u2019s family, the stay of execution offers temporary relief, but their fight continues. His two sisters, Sangkari and Angelia, have been active in campaigning for his life, transforming his writings into songs and running the NGO Sebaran Kasih to support marginalised communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is our brother, our son, our family,\u201d one of his sisters said. \u201cWe will not stop fighting for him, just as he has never stopped fighting for others.\u201d Pannir also has three brothers.<\/p>\n

As legal proceedings move forward, activists and supporters have vowed to continue advocating for Pannir and others facing the death penalty, hoping that Singapore\u2019s approach to justice will evolve towards rehabilitation rather than execution.<\/p>\n