Singapore executes Malaysian Pannir Selvam on 8 Oct morning despite appeals and vigils calling for clemency

SINGAPORE: Malaysian death row inmate Pannir Selvam Pranthaman was executed at Changi Prison around 6 am on 8 October 2025, marking the end of a seven-year legal battle. His final application to delay the execution was dismissed by Singapore’s Court of Appeal the day before, effectively exhausting all legal remedies available to him. According to a Facebook post by community organiser Kokila Annamalai of the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), the prison had informed Pannir’s family to attend an identification procedure at 9am the following morning.

Vigils across Singapore and Malaysia call for clemency

Civil and religious groups across Singapore organised four vigils on 7 October in solidarity with Pannir and his family. A post by allianceagainstdeathpenalty.sg on Instagram reported that 412 people gathered both in person and online to honour Pannir and others on death row. Participants shared his poems, spoke about his legacy as an artist and activist, and committed to continuing advocacy against capital punishment.

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Meanwhile, nearly 100 people assembled outside the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, holding candles and banners urging compassion and clemency.

Amnesty International renews call for moratorium

Malaysian lawyer N. Surendran criticised the Singapore court’s decision, calling it “deeply unjust.” He said there were “good grounds” for a stay of execution and described Pannir as “an exemplary individual whose sentence should be commuted.” Surendran added that Pannir had written poetry and published books while on death row, demonstrating rehabilitation and moral strength. Amnesty International condemned the execution, reiterating its stance that the death penalty for drug-related offences violates international human rights standards. The organisation urged Singapore to impose a moratorium on executions and review its use of capital punishment. It cited serious unfairness in Pannir’s case and criticised the continued use of the death penalty, noting there is no evidence it deters drug use or trafficking. Amnesty highlighted that 11 people have been executed in Singapore so far in 2025, nine of them for drug offences. It also called on Malaysia, the UNODC, and the INCB to increase pressure on Singapore to end executions and adopt human rights-based drug policies.

Court rejects stay of execution application

On 7 October, Pannir’s lawyer in Singapore, Too Xing Ji, sought to delay the execution. He argued that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) might need to reassess Pannir’s eligibility for a Certificate of Substantive Assistance based on information he had given to Malaysian authorities about a cross-border drug network. However, Justice Woo Bih Li dismissed the application, stating in a written decision that there was “no basis to grant the present application to order a stay of execution.” The judge added there was “nothing exceptional whatsoever about the circumstances of the present case,” rejecting the argument for inherent jurisdiction to halt the execution.

Malaysia confirms no further probe after police interview

During a special session in Malaysia’s Parliament on 7 October, Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah announced that no new investigation would follow the interview Malaysian police conducted with Pannir on 27 September 2025 at Changi Prison. He said the four-hour questioning produced “no operational value,” and investigations into three individuals named by Pannir yielded no results. Shamsul stated that Malaysia respected Singapore’s judicial process, which had found Pannir guilty of drug trafficking. Opposition MP Ramkarpal Singh challenged the announcement, calling it “perplexing” and questioning why an interview was held if no investigation was intended.

Family disputes M'sian government’s stance

Pannir’s sister, Sangkari Pranthaman, criticised the deputy minister’s remarks, saying they reflected a poor understanding of the case. She argued that Singapore’s court had determined her brother’s role as a courier, not a trafficker or mastermind. According to Sangkari, extensive evidence and testimony indicated that the true recruiters and traffickers remained at large in Malaysia. She said two men previously arrested by Malaysian police were recruiters who targeted vulnerable rural youths, including her brother. “The family will not stay silent while an innocent man is sent to his death,” she declared, warning that they would expose the identities of those responsible. A post shared by HAYAT (@hayatlifemy)

Family to pursue legal action against Malaysian government

Surendran told the New Straits Times that Pannir’s family intends to file a judicial review against Malaysia’s government over its refusal to pursue further investigations based on Pannir’s testimony. He said Shamsul’s parliamentary statement contradicted the actions of the Malaysian police, who had dispatched several officers to interview Pannir at Changi Prison. “The government’s position is inconsistent with information held by the family,” he said, confirming that legal action would begin immediately. According to Surendran, the details provided by Pannir should have qualified him for a Certificate of Substantive Assistance, which could have commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment.