Putting the Death Penalty on Trial: World Day 2024

Get ready for the trial of the century, which promises to make your blood run cold. The crimes of the accused - a serial killer - are unparalleled. This barbaric criminal has committed over 500 premeditated, brutal murders in just the last 30 years. The exact number of victims is unknown, and the earliest murders date back to 1961.

Now, in an attempt to save the lives of the over 50 victims who are currently trapped in the killer’s den, and the countless others whose lives will be taken in the years to come, the victims’ families and other witnesses have decided to come forward and put the killer on trial. They draw strength from how similar killers have been stopped in other countries. The global movement to stop such killers - World Day Against the Death Penalty - is commemorated on 10th October each year. This is the day our public trials will begin.

For this trial to bring justice, the people of Singapore must come and bear witness, consider the evidence and arguments presented, awaken their collective conscience, and deliver their verdict.

Trial dates: 10-20 Oct 2024

Court: UltraSuperNew Gallery, 168 Tyrwhitt Rd, Singapore 207572

Additional Zoom hearings will be held on 11, 16 and 18 Oct to allow overseas witnesses to provide their testimonies.

[PHYSICAL EVENTS]

Fighting for Life: A multimedia exhibition

10 - 20 Oct

Open on weekdays from 5pm-10pm, and on weekends from 10am-7pm

Gallery tours are available on some days. You can see available slots and register when you check out.

Transformative Justice Collective presents Fighting for Life, an exhibition that critically examines the death penalty in Singapore, highlighting its complexities, societal harms, and injustices. Through photography, film and audio stories, it shares the experiences of those most impacted by capital punishment, questioning who the true victims are. The exhibition also explores alternative approaches that improve health, human rights, and community safety, encouraging the public to envision more just paths forward.

(Pending IMDA Approval)

The Impact On Us: Living To Tell The Story

10 Oct

7-10pm

We open the trial of the death penalty with speeches that highlight the many victims of Singapore's brutal War on Drugs. Victim Impact Statements will be shared by persons on death row, their family members, friends, lawyers and ordinary people in Singapore who have been deeply affected by the cruelties of state murder. After the readings, there will be an open mic segment where participants will be invited to share their reflections.

Voices From Death Row: A Film Screening + Discussion

12 and 13 Oct

2-4pm

Transformative Justice Collective brings you Condemned, a short film documenting the story of Don, who spent years on death row at Changi Prison before being acquitted and walking free in May 2022. Screened for the first time at TJFest 2023 to full-house audiences, Don's story gives us rare insight into the trauma, isolation and dehumanisation experienced by those entangled in Singapore’s war on drugs.

Following the film screening, audio recordings of letters written by other death row will be shared. Then, we will interrogate the war on drugs and the death penalty - which have claimed so many lives - through reflective discussions in small groups.

(Pending IMDA approval)

Stop The Killing: How can we win a moratorium on the death penalty?

20 Oct

4-7pm

The life vests are coming off for prisoners on death row, as they are nearing the end of the legal battle they have been courageously fighting for the past two years. The only thing that can protect the lives of the 53 people currently on death row is an immediate moratorium on the death penalty. And for this, they depend on us, their fellow people, beyond the bars of Changi Prison.

How can we come together to win a moratorium? The campaign to save Nagaenthran’s life in 2022 awakened many people in Singapore to the cruelties of the death penalty and changed their minds. We must build on this groundswell - a moratorium is possible if a critical mass of Singaporeans demand it. TJC’s target is to collect 100,000 signatures for The People’s Petition for Moratorium by 2025. This could exert enough pressure for Parliament to discuss the need for a moratorium.

We wrap our series of events with a discussion on how to turn up the heat and reach our goal of 100,000 signatures. We will be launching our new Anti-Death Penalty Advocate’s Guide, and veteran anti-death penalty activists from the early 2000s as well as younger activists will share their insights. Together, we will discuss how to counter state propaganda and tackle powerful myths that stand in the way of greater public support for a moratorium.

[WEBINARS]

Throw It Out: Why Singapore's Barbaric Drug Policy Belongs in the Dustbin

11 Oct

7-9pm

"Now, if I say I don’t catch traffickers and wait for the kingpins, basically my drug policy will be out of the window," Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said in a 2022 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.

Transformative Justice Collective is proud to present this irreverent webinar with Steve Rolles and Shayla Schlossenberg, two highly experienced, knowledgeable and passionate advocates for progressive drug policy reform in the world today. With their wisdom in the room, we will tear into the Singapore government's dangerous and aggressive propaganda for murderous drug policies, and rubbish the state’s claims about how the death penalty is necessary to keep Singapore society safe. This no-holds-barred take-down of Singapore's drug control regime promises to surprise, stimulate and challenge us to confront why the War on Drugs is a spectacular failure, and what drug law and policy reforms are necessary to truly protect public health, safety and justice.

This session will be held on Zoom, and will include a Q&A segment. Register for this webinar.

In conversation with N Surendran: A tale of two struggles against the death penalty

16 Oct

7-8.30pm

In 2023, Malaysia abolished the mandatory death penalty, saving hundreds of lives. Since this step, most of the 1000 prisoners on death row have had their sentenced changed.

In this conversation with N Surendran from Lawyers for Liberty, a Malaysian human rights law organisation, we will dive into Malaysia’s journey towards abolition, and explore the lessons it holds for the struggle against the death penalty in Singapore. Surendran, who has spent many years fighting for the lives of Malaysians on death row in Singapore and journeying with their families, will also share his unique perspective on Singapore's death penalty regime.

This conversation will be held on Zoom, and will include a Q&A segment. Register for this webinar.

Does the death penalty really have a deterrent effect? What the evidence shows

18 Oct

7-8.30pm

Most research recognises that there is little meaningful or reliable evidence for the deterrent effect of the death penalty, yet the claim of deterrence remains a core justification for the use of the death penalty in many retentionist states, including Singapore. In this webinar, Mai Sato will unpack the deterrence argument, how it shapes public opinion on the death penalty, and explore how it continues to compel lawmakers and laypersons, even though the evidence shows that it is a weak, slippery argument.

This session will be held on Zoom, and will include a Q&A segment. Register for this webinar.