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There is so rarely good news when it comes to Singapore and the death penalty. Over time, you learn to expect the worst at all times; no matter how much you tell yourself to never give up, you brace for bad news and pain. It’s a defensive mechanism; there are only so many times you can have your hope trampled on.
But then, once in awhile, there are miracles. And it’s a reminder that not all is lost, that we are not beaten and that, despite all the odds, we can keep fighting… and win.
Tonight, as Singaporeans chanted in protest against the death penalty in Hong Lim Park, a notification popped up on my phone. It was a series of WhatsApp messages from Pannir Selvam Pranthaman’s sister, Sangkari: “Stay of execution granted. No execution tomorrow. Pannir is saved.”
Just a few hours earlier I’d been worrying about how Pannir and his family were handling things. Pannir, Sangkari said, had been very confident—perhaps almost over-confident?—about his case. It was good that he had such spirit and fight in him and that it was rubbing off on his family, but I worried about how absolutely crushed they would be if things didn’t take a turn for the better.
I needn’t have worried. At the end of the day, the family that kept the faith had their prayers answered.
When we went to see them after the protest and vigil in Hong Lim Park, Pannir’s sisters, Sangkari and Angelia, told us that the entire family had been on their knees, praying, when the call came from the prison informing them of the stay. They’d been praying hard for days; some family members had even been fasting. But that hadn’t been all they’d been doing.
For years Pannir’s family have explored every possible avenue and angle to save him. In these past few days in Singapore they’ve delivered a statement to the Law Society and also written a letter to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam that they delivered to the Istana on Wednesday afternoon, the sisters rushing out of prison during the lunch break to do so before heading straight back for their afternoon visit with Pannir. They have talked to journalists, appeared on camera, spoken and written to anyone and everyone they could think of to fight for a chance for Pannir.
This is the lesson Pannir and his family are teaching us: that even when the odds are stacked against you, when it feels bleak and difficult, you can still find a way to hold your head up and press on. That hard work, hope and faith can do wonders. We often feel small when facing the might of the state, but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless. Tonight we all got to see how sticking with the fight can lead to wonders.
A stay of execution is not a complete halt. And the state is still determined to kill—two execution notices were issued today, for executions scheduled this coming Wednesday. There is much more work to be done to stop this killing in our names. We still have a tough fight ahead. But at least today Pannir reminded us of what can be done, as long as one never loses heart.
For those curious about the grounds on which Pannir was granted a stay, you can read the court judgment. I’ll take a look at it tomorrow myself. But for now, I’m going to breathe a little and get some sleep.
I've been asked if people can donate to Pannir's family. TJC is not collecting any money directly for Pannir's family at this point. We have so far mostly been covering expenses with the TJC Support Fund. If you'd like to make a contribution to the TJC Support Fund, you can do so via PayNow. Please remember to leave a note in the reference stating that it's for the support fund so we know what to earmark it for.
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