APPLICATIONS by 19 death row inmates to commute their sentences were rejected by the Federal Court, said Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
In a written reply to the Dewan Rakyat, the minister in charge of law and institutional reforms said 474 applications were reviewed.
“Of these, 19 were rejected and their death sentences will remain. These include those charged with the murder of more than one victim or the murder of children.”
She said this in reply to Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bendera-PH) who asked how many death sentences remained between November 14, 2023 and May 31 this year.
It was reported last year that a total of 1,020 prisoners who have been sentenced to mandatory death and life imprisonment could apply to review their respective sentences.
This follows the enforcement of the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023 (Act 846) on July 4.
However, the death penalty can still be meted out according to the court’s discretion for offences such as murder, terrorist acts and hostage-taking. – June 25, 2024
