Malaysia’s parliament passed a bill to abolish mandatory death sentences on Monday, with rights groups hailing the vote as a “important step” that could have repercussions throughout Southeast Asia. Convictions for several crimes, including murder and drug trafficking, previously resulted in automatic death sentences, leaving judges with no discretion.
The bill does not abolish the death penalty, but instead allows judges to impose lengthy prison sentences ranging from 30 to 40 years under certain conditions. Malaysia has had an execution moratorium in place since 2018, but courts have continued to sentence inmates to death. The reform must still be approved by the Senate, but it is widely expected to pass with little opposition. Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson described Monday’s vote as a important step forward for Malaysia and expressed hope that it will put pressure on other Southeast Asian countries to follow suit.
Post Your Comments