Malaysia agrees to abolish mandatory death penalty

Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s law minister says the government has agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty and allow judges to set alternative punishments for a range of offenses. Wan Junadi Tuanku Jaafar said in a statement Friday that the Cabinet will study other proposed punishments for 11 offenses that currently trigger a mandatory death sentence and also for the more than 20 offenses that carry a potential death sentence at the court’s discretion. More than 1,300 people are on death row in Malaysia, with most cases involving drug trafficking. The death penalty in Malaysia mandates hanging as punishment for a range of crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, treason, kidnapping and acts of terror.