Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, a 37-year-old man who had been sentenced to death in Singapore, was executed on October 8, 2025. Singapore authorities found 51 grams of pure heroin on him at a checkpoint on Singapore’s border with Malaysia. This one incident resulted in his lifelong conviction as a drug trafficker. Since his sentencing in May 2017, Pannir’s case has sparked significant debate about the country’s strict stance on capital punishment, particularly regarding drug offenses.
While waiting to be executed on death row, Pannir used poetry as an outlet for his ideas and feelings. One of his poignant works, titled “You Die from Within,” captures the despair and dehumanization he felt while awaiting execution. He gave the most moving account of his testimony that day. He described it as “an animal in human form,” poignantly summing up the deep psychological cost of his approaching death.
Pannir’s execution made him the twelfth person to be executed in Singapore in just 2025 so far. His case went through two stays, one in 2019 and another in 2023. This history ignited the hope of his family members and advocates for a last-minute stay of execution. Those hopes were short-lived as the Singaporean government restated its commitment to allow implementation of its draconian capital punishment framework.
Pannir’s family, especially his sisters Sangkari and Angel, fought tooth and nail for him during his hellish experience. Her father’s health has been deteriorating, and they took the six-hour journey from Malaysia to make sure they could see him regularly. This commitment only underscored their conviction that his punishment was unfair. In a 2024 interview with Dateline, Sangkari emotionally expressed her conviction that Pannir’s life could have been saved. She was passionate about this feeling and it showed through vibrantly.
“Why do they preach, lives are precious, but aren’t prepared to give the fallen a second chance?” – Pannir Selvam (Sebaran Kasih)
Kirsten Han, a Singaporean journalist and activist who followed Pannir’s case closely, described it this way. She commended his family’s courageous advocacy to pursue justice on his behalf. “Pannir’s family worked incredibly hard to save his life,” she stated. As Han pointed out, critical perspectives on the death penalty rarely make it into mainstream media, if at all.
“Critical perspectives on the death penalty don’t make it into the mainstream media … you’re generally only getting government statements that the death penalty is working really well,” – Kirsten Han
Amnesty International’s Chiara Sangiorgio pointed out that Pannir’s case exemplifies the many flaws in Singapore’s application of the death penalty. She stressed that these cases bring forth deep moral dilemmas surrounding the death penalty to light. They further argue that it does serve as a deterrent against crime.
Despite these objections, the Singaporean government has repeatedly pushed back against international criticism of its continued use of capital punishment for drug offenses. Law enforcement advocates contend that draconian laws are needed to crack down on drug traffickers and to keep “criminals” off the streets. This apparent shift in position has come under fire from human rights advocates. They claim it ignores the nuances of a complicated addiction and rehab landscape.
Pannir’s powerful poetry captures the pain he experienced on death row. In one excerpt, he wrote:
“You die from within. You die while breathing. You die to the essence of what it feels like… to be alive.” – Pannir Selvam (Sebaran Kasih)
His words resonate with a haunting clarity, illustrating the psychological burden of awaiting execution and serving as a testament to his humanity despite the circumstances.
The devastating effects of Pannir’s execution meant his family suddenly had to deal with their grief, having lost a son and brother. As they packed up his things, and as they were backfilled with the death certificates, coroner’s notices, etc., after he died—these suddenly serve up your new reality, right?
Han said they were worried about the wider effects that Pannir’s execution will have on prisoners on death row.
“I’m still a little bit worried about whether we’ll be hearing of more execution notices this week for the coming weeks, and that’s possible,” – Kirsten Han
This declaration further highlights the daily pain and terror felt by those sentenced to death in Singapore.
It has raised important questions about how society values different lives. This is doubly true for those going through the system convicted on drug-related crimes. Opponents have called Singapore’s use of capital punishment inhumane. They argue that it dehumanizes condemned people, treating them as only numbers. This outcome illustrates a legal system more focused on punishment than rehabilitation.
“[The government] can only get away with this by being highly dehumanising because otherwise people will see it for what it is, which is that they are killing people,” – Kirsten Han
The conversation about Pannir Selvam Pranthaman’s case isn’t over. His case represents the entire discourse on the death penalty in Singapore. His story reminds us that human lives are at the center of these policies. It also raises deeper and essential questions of justice, mercy and rehabilitation.
