Southeast Asia Rethinks Capital Punishment: Is Singapore an Island in the Tide?
Across Southeast Asia, a quiet revolution is underway. Countries are re-evaluating the use of the death penalty, narrowing its scope, and cautiously moving towards abolition. But one nation stands apart: Singapore, which appears to be doubling down on capital punishment even as its neighbors shift their stance.
A Regional Trend Towards Restraint
Currently, eight out of eleven Southeast Asian countries still retain the death penalty. However, the landscape is changing. Cambodia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste have already abolished it by law. More significantly, several retentionist states are implementing de facto moratoriums on executions and revising legislation to limit the application of the death penalty.
In 2025, Vietnam removed the death penalty for eight offenses, reducing the number of capital crimes from eighteen to ten. Existing death sentences for those offenses were commuted to life imprisonment. Malaysia abolished the mandatory death penalty in 2023, granting judges more discretion in sentencing. A working group is now examining the possibility of total abolition, with work expected to begin in early 2026.
Indonesia’s fresh Criminal Code, effective January 2, 2026, designates the death penalty as a last resort. It also introduces a ten-year probation period, during which a death sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment based on rehabilitation and quality conduct. If Indonesia avoids executions throughout 2026, it will be considered a de facto abolitionist state, having gone ten consecutive years without carrying out a sentence.
Thailand’s government rejected a proposal to abolish the death penalty in late 2024, but has not carried out an execution since 2018.
Singapore’s Contrasting Path
While the broader regional trend is towards restraint, Singapore is taking a different path. The city-state is “very enthusiastically doubling down on the death penalty and carrying out executions at an alarming rate,” according to Kirsten Han, a Singaporean journalist and campaigner against capital punishment.
Singapore executed seventeen people in 2023 – the highest number since 2003 – and has already carried out three executions in 2026. Most cases involve drug trafficking offenses, often exceeding statutory thresholds. In December 2025, Singapore’s High Court upheld the mandatory death penalty for certain drug offenses, rejecting a constitutional challenge.
Despite criticism from international organizations like the European Union, which issued a joint statement with Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom calling for a halt to executions, Singapore maintains its position. The government frequently cites public opinion studies indicating broad support for capital punishment among Singaporeans.
However, a 2016 study by the National University of Singapore revealed limited public understanding of how the death penalty is applied, with 62% of respondents admitting they knew “little” or “nothing” about its use in the country.
Sovereignty and International Pressure
Singapore consistently defends its right to determine its own laws, citing its national context and public interest. This was evident in its vote against a UN General Assembly resolution in 2024 calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty. Singapore also pushed for an amendment emphasizing the sovereign right of nations to develop their own legal systems.
Experts suggest that external pressure has limited impact. Han notes that local media in Singapore rarely cover such statements, and the government is quick to accuse activists of “foreign interference.”
Looking Ahead
The divergence between Singapore and its neighbors raises questions about the future of capital punishment in Southeast Asia. While other nations are cautiously exploring alternatives, Singapore appears firmly committed to its current approach. Whether this stance will remain sustainable in the face of regional and international trends remains to be seen.
FAQ
Q: Which Southeast Asian countries have abolished the death penalty?
A: Cambodia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste have abolished the death penalty in law.
Q: Is Malaysia moving towards abolishing the death penalty?
A: Malaysia abolished the mandatory death penalty in 2023 and is currently examining the possibility of total abolition, with work expected to begin in early 2026.
Q: Why is Singapore continuing to use the death penalty?
A: The Singaporean government cites public opinion and its sovereign right to determine its own laws as justification for its continued use of capital punishment.
Q: What is a de facto moratorium on executions?
A: A de facto moratorium is a period where a country does not carry out any executions, even though the death penalty remains legal.
Wish to learn more about human rights issues in Asia? Explore Human Rights Watch’s Asia coverage.
