Nigerians once topped Malaysia death row. A new law brings relief

Nigerians once topped the death row in Malaysia where drug trafficking attracted capital punishment. The Asian country has voted to scrap the death sentence, making it likely Nigerians could be amongst the major beneficiaries.

Malaysia’s parliament on Monday passed sweeping legal reforms to remove the mandatory death penalty, reduce the number of offences punishable by death, and abolish natural-life prison sentences.

The move could spare more than 1,300 prisoners on death row, the BBC reported. Those facing the death penalty or imprisonment for natural life – including those who have exhausted all other legal appeals – can seek a sentencing review under the new rules.

While mandatory death sentence is removed, judges will retain discretion to impose capital punishment in exceptional cases.

The approved amendments apply to 34 offences currently punishable by death, including drug trafficking and murder.

Under the amendments, alternatives to the death penalty include whipping and imprisonment of between 30 to 40 years. The new jail term will replace all previous provisions that call for imprisonment for the duration of the offender’s natural life.

– Nigeria effect

In 2019, Nigeria had the highest number of foreign nationals on death row in Malaysia, according to Amnesty International.

Of 568 foreign nationals on death row for various offences in the country as of Feb. 2019, 119 were Nigerians.

Nigeria topped the list of foreign nationals with 21%, followed by Indonesia (16%), Iran (15%), India (10%), Philippines (8%) and Thailand (6%).

Most of the convicts were sentenced to death for drug-related crimes and murder, according to Amnesty International.

It was not clear now many Nigerians remain on death row in that country.

– Moratorium

Malaysia has not carried out executions since 2018 when it first promised to abolish capital punishment entirely.

Its Southeast Asian neighbours have however continued to conduct carry out capital punishment. Singapore last year executed 11 people for drug offences.

Reuters quoted Malaysia’s Deputy Law Minister Ramkarpal Singh as saying that capital punishment was an irreversible sentence and had been an ineffective deterrent.

“The death penalty has not brought about the results it was intended to bring,” he told the country’s parliament.