Singapore sentenced a suspected drug dealer to death on the video chat app Zoom in a move that has been criticised as “callous” and inhumane people.
Travel restrictions from the city-state’s coronavirus lockdown meant that Punithan Genasan, 37, from Malaysia received news of his sentence in a virtual hearing.
Genasan was found to have been complicit in trafficking at least 28.5g of heroin by coordinating two couriers in 2011. He denied any connection to the pair, but his defence was rejected on Friday.
The move has been criticised by a human rights group which said a man facing capital punishment should have the right to face his accusers in court. Defence lawyer Peter Fernando said while Genasan was in jail, Mr Fernando and prosecutors participated in the hearing from different locations.
It is believed to be the first time the death sentence has been delivered remotely in Singapore, which has imposed social distancing measures it calls a “circuit breaker”.
Mr Fernando said: “This has been the arrangement made by the court under Singapore’s ‘circuit breaker’ measures, with essential hearings conducted via Zoom. We have no complaints.”
He said he will meet Genasan on Friday to discuss an appeal. Singapore imposed a lockdown in early April after it was hit by a second wave of virus infections sparked by foreign workers living in crowded dormitories.
It has reported more than 29,000 cases, among the most in Asia, but only 22 deaths. It plans to gradually lift restrictions next month.
Photo Credit: Getty
