Letter to the Law Society of Singapore Regarding Death Penalty Case
7 March 2025
On 19 February 2025, Law Council President Juliana Warner wrote to the Law Society of Singapore requesting it to urgently request that the Attorney-General of Singapore grant a stay of execution of Malaysian national Pannir Selvam Pranthaman.
Mr Pannir had submitted a complaint to the Law Society of Singapore regarding the conduct of his former lawyer, which remained unresolved. Noting that this complaint may have compromised Mr Pannir’s right to challenge his conviction and sentence and to be effectively assisted by a lawyer at all stages of proceedings and detention, the Law Council urged the Law Society to seek a stay of execution until the complaint could be properly investigated and adjudicated.
Consistent with the Law Council’s Policy Statement on the Death Penalty, the letter also reiterated our broader concerns regarding the use of the death penalty in Singapore.
Singapore’s Court of Appeal subsequently granted Mr Pannir leave to make a post-appeal application in a capital case (PACC application), for reasons including the pending complaint before the Law Society of Singapore, and granted a stay of execution pending the determination of the PACC application (Pannir Selvam Pranthaman v Attorney-General of Singapore [2025] SGCA 7).
Last Updated on 04/03/2025