Masoud Rahimi, a 34-year-old Singaporean on death row, faced two devastating blows on Thursday, 28 November 2024, as his appeal for clemency was rejected by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and his last-minute bid for a stay of execution was dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
The family was informed of the dismissal during a phone call from prison authorities at 9 pm on Thursday night.
Activist Kokila Annamalai shared details of the call on Facebook, describing how the family confirmed the news of Masoud’s impending execution.
According to the family, they were told: “It’s dismissed, so come to the VC (visitor’s centre) at 9 am tomorrow.”
When they sought clarification, prison authorities confirmed that the execution would proceed as planned.
The stay of execution, scheduled for a 6 pm hearing, was reportedly vacated without explanation. Masoud was not given an opportunity to speak in court or address the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ submissions, leaving his family and supporters frustrated and disheartened.
Clemency rejected and final requests denied
Earlier that day, President Tharman had rejected Masoud’s clemency appeal. This decision, combined with the dismissal of his stay of execution, leaves the family with no further legal recourse.
The family also expressed disappointment over the rejection of their repeated requests for a video call between Masoud and his father, who resides overseas and cannot travel to Singapore in time.
Despite public appeals and numerous letters to the Singapore Prison Service, this final act of compassion was denied.
“What can we do next?”
Masoud’s family and supporters are now left with limited options. Activists like Kokila Annamalai have called for public reflection on the systemic issues surrounding the death penalty.
“At this point, for Masoud, we can hold him in our hearts with all our love, prayers, strength, and light we can muster,” she wrote.
The execution is set to proceed on the morning of 29 November 2024, marking the end of Masoud’s 14-year struggle on death row.
The denial of clemency and the dismissal of his stay of execution have reignited calls for greater transparency, fairness, and compassion in Singapore’s application of the death penalty.
