Singapore appeal court upholds death sentence for intellectually disabled man

Execution of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, who has IQ of 69, upheld despite claims it goes against international law

A man with learning disabilities who has spent more than a decade on death row could face execution within days after Singapore's top court dismissed his last-ditch appeal, in a case that has drawn global condemnation.

Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, a Malaysian national, was arrested in 2009 for attempting to smuggle 43 grams of heroin - about three tablespoons -into Singapore.

Nagaenthran, who was 21 at the time of his arrest, has said he was coerced into carrying the package, which was strapped to his thigh, and did not know its contents at the time.