Two years since the repeal of the mandatory death penalty in Malaysia came into force, a significant decline in the use of the death penalty has been recorded, both in relation to the number of people on death row and in the narrowed scope of the offences for which death sentences have been upheld.
However, Amnesty International’s recent assessment of the implementation of the new sentencing discretion reveals emerging concerns. Amnesty International urges the Government of Malaysia to immediately extend the moratorium on executions indefinitely, commute all death sentences and abolish the death penalty for all crimes.