Singaporean officials imprisoned a lady for 30 years for killing her Myanmar domestic servant following a year of abuse that included starvation, torture, and beatings.
Gaiyathiri Murugayan, a Singaporean, pleaded guilty in February to culpable homicide, one of 28 charges stemming from the torture of Piang Ngaih Don, a 24-year-old woman who was beaten for 14 months before dying in 2016.
Murugayan, 40, had major psychological problems. But the crimes she committed were repulsive and deliberate, according to Judge See Kee Oon.
"The extremely aggravated and horrific circumstances of the offenses are crucial considerations that tip the scales towards retribution and deterrence," the judge said in sentencing, according to a transcript obtained by Reuters (via Yahoo! News).
"She was cognizant of her actions and purposeful in her conduct. She [could] comprehend what she was doing."
Murugayan's lawyer, Joseph Chen, claimed a family member had requested him to file an appeal for a lower prison sentence of 15 to 16 years so she could spend time with her children once she was released.
"People with psychiatric disorder look at things differently; they cannot pull themselves out of the situation," he told Reuters. "To the family member, the 30 years sentence is as bad as life imprisonment."
Domestic workers and their allies in Asia have long complained about employer exploitation and abuse, as well as poor or hazardous working and living conditions. However, most of these domestic workers are female migrants from Southeast Asian nations such as Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Their home countries' laws provide them with limited protections.
No restrictions govern maximum working hours per day or week in several countries like Hong Kong where there are many Filipino workers. Therefore many are forced to work 16-hour days or longer.
Domestic workers in Singapore drew international attention in 2012. CNN said ten domestic workers died after falling from high-rise buildings while performing activities such as cleaning windows. According to advocates, despite rules in existence to prohibit dangerous jobs, many deaths occur each year due to a lack of enforcement by authorities.
Despite repeated calls for change, there have been little changes or genuine reforms. In a 2017 study of over 800 domestic employees in Singapore, 60% of them had been exploited by their employers, with workers reporting low pay, limited time off, and verbal and physical abuse.
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