A man was sentenced to death in Singapore via a Zoom video call.
Punithan Genasan, 37, was sentenced Friday for his role in a drug deal, according to a report published by Reuters. Genasan will be executed for his involvement in a heroin transaction back in 2011.
Man sentenced to death in Singapore via Zoom call https://t.co/FCvtmQ2vL6 pic.twitter.com/ppEAa3X9jm
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 20, 2020
Singapore does not tolerate illegal substances and has sentenced people to death for drug-related offenses over the past decades.
“Singapore’s use of the death penalty is inherently cruel and inhumane, and the use of remote technology like Zoom to sentence a man to death makes it even more so,” Human Rights Watch’s Asia Deputy Director Phil Robertson said.
The sentencing was done over Zoom due to the coronavirus pandemic. Genasan’s case is the first death sentence to be handed down via Zoom in Singapore. (RELATED: ‘They Should Die As Well’: Amaud Arbery’s Mother Wants The Death Penalty For Son’s Shooters)
“For the safety of all involved in the proceedings, the hearing for Public Prosecutor v Punithan A/L Genasan was conducted by video-conferencing,” a representative for Singapore’s Supreme Court told Reuters.
Genasan’s lawyer, Peter Fernando, claimed the judge could be heard clearly during the call, but Genasan does plan to appeal the verdict.
The majority of court cases in Singapore have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but cases deemed important have occurred remotely. The lockdown in Singapore began in April and is set to run through June 1, Reuters reported.