Critical Juncture: ending the mandatory death penalty in Malaysia

Date and time

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM AEST

In April 2023, Malaysia’s parliament approved a bill that would remove the mandatory death penalty for a range of offences such as murder, drug trafficking, treason, kidnapping and acts of terror.

The bill also provides an avenue for death row prisoners to have their sentences reviewed—there are currently 1,318 death row prisoners, 842 of whom have exhausted their avenues of appeal. The abolition of the mandatory death penalty puts Malaysia at a critical juncture, in which the government has a choice to continue the path towards total abolition.

Join us in Melbourne to hear from Ramkarpal Singh—Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform)­—about this significant reform and the country’s overall commitment to a better criminal justice system.

Speakers

Ramkarpal Singh Deputy Minister, Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Malaysia

Dobby Chew Executive Coordinator, Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN)

MaryEllen Miller Assistant Secretary, Human Rights and Social Inclusion, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade