17 April 2025

The Delegation of the European Union issues the following statement, together with the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States and the diplomatic missions of Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in Singapore:

The EU Delegation and the diplomatic missions of the EU Member States and of Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom deplore the execution of Mr Teo Ghim Heng on 16 April 2025.

Mr Teo was convicted for the murder in 2017 of his wife and daughter. The EU expresses its sincere sympathy for the victims and all those affected by this deplorable and brutal crime. 

At the same time, we repeat our strong opposition to the use of capital punishment in all cases and in all circumstances. The death penalty is incompatible with the inalienable right to life and the absolute prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. 

The death penalty fails to act as a deterrent to crime and makes possible miscarriages of justice irreversible. Moreover, rehabilitation as an objective of modern criminal law is rendered impossible by the application of capital punishment.

We advocate for Singapore to adopt a moratorium on all executions as a positive first step towards its abolition, in line with the worldwide trend.

We will continue to work for the abolition of the death penalty in the few remaining countries that still apply it.