Extreme Deterrence: Singapore Approves Caning for Individuals Guilty of Internet Scamming
Singapore has chosen to confront the surge in online fraud through a method that seems to have stepped out of the past. The Parliament has approved amendments to the criminal code permitting corporal punishment for individuals involved in internet scams and related money laundering activities. Henceforth, those found guilty of fraud committed via remote communication—whether through messaging, phone calls, or online platforms—may face between six and twenty-four strokes of the cane.
Such severe measures arise from a dramatic spike in cybercrime: in just the first half of this year, citizens reported tens of thousands of fraud cases, with total losses exceeding $385 million. According to authorities, fraud remains the most prevalent form of crime, accounting for nearly 60% of all recorded offenses.
The new legislation targets not only the direct perpetrators but also those who recruit participants or facilitate their operations, meaning that members of organized groups orchestrating these schemes—and causing multimillion-dollar losses to citizens and banks—may also be subject to punishment.
Combating deception has become one of the chief priorities for Singaporean authorities. Earlier this year, the country enacted a law granting police the power to request that banks temporarily freeze transfers on accounts suspected of being used for fraudulent purposes. This allows investigators to halt transactions while determining the facts and thereby reduce victims’ financial losses.
The practice of corporal punishment itself is not new to Singapore—it dates back to its days as a British colony. Currently, about 65 legal provisions prescribe caning, including for crimes such as robbery. However, alongside these new amendments, the government removed mandatory physical punishment for certain offenses, such as vandalism, leaving the decision to the discretion of the courts.
Before the sentence is carried out, a doctor examines the convict’s condition. The strokes are administered with a flexible rattan cane across the buttocks, and women, girls, and men over 50 are exempt from the procedure.
Nevertheless, international human rights organizations regularly condemn this practice. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International classify corporal punishment as a violation of international law and a form of torture. The Singaporean authorities, however, have long maintained the opposite stance: they regard the cane as a means of preserving discipline and deterring potential offenders in a society where order and personal responsibility are considered inviolable values.
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