It seems that around Asia, government attitudes to the death penalty are slowly changing. An increasing number of people in Asia are concerned about the widespread use of the death penalty, although many Asians still feel it is appropriate for some crimes, especially murder.

India, which is Asia’s second-largest economy, rarely imposes the death penalty and when it does, it often is not carried out. Singapore routinely carries out the death penalty, and on a per capita basis, has one of the highest execution rates in the world. However, it is reported that the number of executions actually carried out in the city state has been falling in the last decade. Indonesia is also softening its position on carrying out the death penalty.

It seems very likely that Singapore will drop the mandatory death penalty for murder and drug trafficking in certain, specified circumstances. Malaysia is also considering dropping the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking.

There is increasing recognition that the death penalty is not that effective in stopping drugs, and more importantly, the people being caught and executed are often couriers, at the bottom rungs of the organization and considered disposable by the drug cartels. It is very rare for a major drug kingpin to be caught.

Recently, Malaysia has been attempting to gain clemency for some of the many Malaysians imprisoned overseas, particularly those awaiting death sentences for being drug couriers. In a number of cases it seems clear they were duped into carrying the drugs. It is harder to request clemency when your own laws are just as draconian.

Even China, which carried out more executions than the rest of the world combined, is looking at reducing the number of offences which carry the death penalty.

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