Informing Death Row Prisoners and Their Families of Clemency Petition Outcomes Before Notification of Execution Schedule

Question:

Mr Fadli Fawzi: To ask the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Ministry has completed its review of the clemency procedure to provide death row prisoners and their families with outcomes of clemency petitions some time in advance of any notification on the execution date and time; and (b) if so, what is the outcome of the review.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. A prisoner awaiting capital punishment (PACP) will be scheduled for execution when he has exhausted all legal channels in relation to his conviction and sentence.

2. Previously, if a petition for clemency is submitted, the PACP and his family would receive both the notification of the outcome of the petition from the President's Office, and the notification of the execution date from the Singapore Prison Service, at the same time.

3. Since the completion of the review, the Ministry of Home Affairs has ensured that as long as the clemency petition is received in a timely manner following the conclusion of all legal proceedings in relation to his conviction and sentence, the PACP will receive notification of the outcome of the consideration for clemency some time prior to the notification of the execution date if the petition is unsuccessful.