Hamzah Ibrahim faces execution on 15 Oct, week after Singapore executed Pannir Selvam

SINGAPORE: The family of Singaporean death row inmate Hamzah Ibrahim has received an execution notice confirming that he will be hanged on Wednesday, 15 October 2025. According to human rights lawyer M Ravi, who shared the news on Facebook on 11 October, Hamzah’s niece received the official notice from the Singapore Prison Service. The announcement comes just days after Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, a Malaysian inmate, was executed on 8 October 2025, following the dismissal of his final appeal. Ravi described the timing as “an execution spree, a chilling reminder of how lives continue to be taken even when hope, reform, and cooperation exist.” He added that Hamzah’s case was particularly troubling as the inmate had been recognised for assisting the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in dismantling drug syndicates. Hamzah had received a Certificate of Substantial Assistance (CSA), confirming that he had meaningfully cooperated with law enforcement. However, he was denied re-sentencing as the court did not categorise him as a courier, which is a requirement to qualify for life imprisonment instead of the death penalty. Ravi argued that Hamzah’s assistance merited compassion. “In light of his valuable assistance to law enforcement, I urge Cabinet Ministers to act swiftly and recommend clemency to the President,” he said, adding: “Let not this be another life lost in an unrelenting cycle of punishment.” In a notice dated 11 October 2025, the Singapore Prison Service informed Hamzah’s niece that family visits would be extended daily from 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm until 14 October 2025. The visits will be held at the Prison Link Centre in Upper Changi Road North.

Last week’s execution of Pannir Selvam had already drawn strong reactions. His counsel had sought a reassessment of his eligibility for a CSA, arguing he had provided intelligence to Malaysian authorities about a cross-border drug network. However, Justice Woo Bih Li ruled that there was “no basis to grant the present application to order a stay of execution,” stating there was “nothing exceptional whatsoever about the circumstances of the present case.” Following Pannir’s execution, tributes and condolences poured in across Singapore and Malaysia. Amnesty International Malaysia condemned what it called the Malaysian government’s “deafening silence,” urging both governments to halt executions and respect human rights commitments.

Hamzah's appeal in February 2025 dismissed after court rules he not eligible for life term as courier

Hamzah had previously faced an execution date on 26 February 2025, but that was temporarily stayed following a Respite Order issued under Article 22P(1) of the Singapore Constitution, which allows the President to grant a reprieve on Cabinet’s advice. Hamzah was convicted in 2014 for trafficking 26.29 grams of diamorphine, a quantity that carries the mandatory death penalty under Singapore law. Although he had been granted a Certificate of Substantial Assistance (CSA) for helping the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), the courts ruled that he did not qualify as a courier, a key requirement for life imprisonment instead of death. On 14 February 2025, the Court of Appeal dismissed Hamzah’s final attempt to reopen his case. The court found that his application under section 394H of the Criminal Procedure Code failed to disclose any legitimate grounds for review. Hamzah had argued that both the CNB and the Prosecution had promised he would be spared the death penalty if he cooperated by providing incriminating information about drug syndicates. However, the Court of Appeal held that Hamzah’s claim of a promise was not sufficiently pleaded and unsupported by evidence. The judges noted that any belief he might have held about receiving leniency could not be regarded as a binding or enforceable promise. They also observed that Hamzah had affirmed the voluntariness of his statements during trial and did not challenge their admissibility on appeal. The court further rejected his constitutional argument that section 33B(2) of the MDA undermined the presumption of innocence. It ruled that requiring an accused to choose whether to cooperate or rely on legal defences does not render the law unfair. Concluding that Hamzah had “no prospect of success”, the court dismissed the application without a hearing, marking the end of his remaining legal avenues.