Abstract
Southeast Asia comprises a region often associated in the media with the liberal use of the death penalty, particularly for drug-related offences. In recent years, however, trends suggest slightly more leniency, through moratoriums and legal reform (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 2013a, b). The death penalty in Southeast Asia has featured in deliberations in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC). UN member states throughout the region are on the precipice of a third cycle of UPR, set to begin in 2017. Judging by the emphasis on the death penalty in the previous two UPRs, it is likely that the topic will again be a focus of attention at the third review and these member states will be urged to step further towards abolishment.
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Notes
- 1.
Evidenced from the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2012 and Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2012 on 14 November 2012 and changes to the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68, 2012 Rev Ed). These limited situations may include those where murder is not intentional and drug possession within certain (low) thresholds.
- 2.
These NGOs included 56 NGOs: All PJ Residents’ Association Coalition (APAC) (a coalition of 9 residents’ associations), All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC), Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), Civil Rights Committee of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Community Action Network (CAN), Education and Research Association for Consumers, Malaysia (ERA Consumer), Health Equity Initiative, Human Rights Committee of the Malaysian Medical Association, Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC), Indigenous and Peasant Movement Sarawak (Panggau), International Association for Peace (IAP), Indian Malaysian Active Generation (IMAGE), Knowledge and Rights with Young People through Safer Spaces (KRYSS), Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Pet Positive), Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) (a coalition of 9 religious organisations), Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC), Malaysian Youth and Students Democratic Movement (DEMA), Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation Malaysia (MEHROM), Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor (PSWS), Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS), Persatuan Guru-guru Tadika (PGGT), Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group (MTAAG+), Protect and Save the Children (PS the Children), PT Foundation, Pusat Jagaan Nur Salam, Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS), Research for Social Advancement (REFSA), Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Tenaganita, United Dayak Islamic Brotherhood, Sarawak, Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC), Writers’ Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI), Youth for Change (Y4C), Youth Section of the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
- 3.
Joint submission No. 1 by 54 organisations: [Pusat Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Education and Research Association for Consumers, Malaysia (ERA Consumer), All Petaling Jaya, Selangor Residents’ Association (APAC), All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Amnesty International, Malaysia, ASEAN Institute for Early Childhood Development, Association of Women’s Lawyers (AWL), Association of Women with Disabilities Malaysia, Coalition to Abolish Modern Day Slavery in Asia (CAMSA), Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), Childline Malaysia, Christian Federation Malaysia, Community Action Network (CAN), Centre for Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Sarawak (CRIPS), Dignity International, Foreign Spouses Support Group, Good Shepherd Welfare Centre, Health Equity Initiatives, Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM), Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT), Justice For Sisters, Pusat Komunikasi Selangor (KOMAS), Knowledge and Rights with Young people through Safer Spaces (KRYSS), KLSCAH Civil Rights Committee, Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP), Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET), Malaysian Child Resource Institute (MCRI), Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility, Malaysia Youth & Student Democratic Movement (DEMA), Migration Working Group (MWG), PANGGAU, Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Kuala Lumpur (PERMAS), PS The Children, PT Foundation, People’s Service Organisation (PSO), Seksualiti Merdeka, Perak Women for 13 Women Society, Persatuan Guru-Guru Tadika Semenanjung Malaysia (PGGT), Persatuan Komuniti Prihatin Selangor dan Kuala Lumpur, Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor, Rainbow Genders Society, Sabah Women’s Action-Resource Group (SAWO), Southeast Asian Centre for e-Media (SEACem), Sinui Pai Nanek Sengik (SPNS), SIS Forum (Malaysia) Bhd (SIS), Tenaganita, Voice of the Children (VOC), Writers’ Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI), Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC), Yayasan Chow Kit, Young Buddhist Association, Youth Section, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Youth Section].
- 4.
Penal Code of Malaysia, art. 307(2), 396, 194 and 305, 1936, as amended by Act 574 of 2006.; Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act of Malaysia, art. 3(A), 1971.
- 5.
Dangerous Drugs Act of Malaysia, art. 39(B), 1952, revised 1980.
- 6.
Penal Code of Malaysia, 1936, as amended by Act 574 of 2006; Dangerous Drugs Act of Malaysia, art. 39(B), 1952, revised 1980
- 7.
Government of Myanmar (2016) ‘Burma Penal Code’, art. 302, No. 45 of 1860, 1 May 1861.
- 8.
Myanmar Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Law, arts. 20, 22–23, No. 1 of 1993; Myanmar Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Law, arts. 20, 22–23, 26, No. 1 of 1993.
- 9.
Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (1999 Rev. Ed.), Article 9(1).
- 10.
Marked by Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 2012 and Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2012 on 14 November 2012 and changes to the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 68, 2012 Rev Ed).
- 11.
Amnesty International, for instance, has led a campaign to convince Philippines lawmakers to vote against the death penalty. See https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/stop-reintroduction-of-death-penalty-philippines/.
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Ravi, M. (2018). The Abolition of the Death Penalty in Southeast Asia: The Arduous March Forward. In: Gomez, J., Ramcharan, R. (eds) The Universal Periodic Review of Southeast Asia. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6226-1_4
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