Singapore to start caning online scammers

In response to a sharp increase in online fraud, Singaporean authorities have decided to implement corporal punishment on digital criminals, The Washington Post (WP) reports.

The newspaper notes that Singapore’s parliament has amended the criminal code, introducing caning as a penalty for cybercrime. In the first half of the year alone, tens of thousands of such offenses were recorded, resulting in total losses of $385 million.

Those convicted of online fraud will face “a minimum of six strokes of the cane,” a government spokesperson said. As reported by Singaporean media, the maximum punishment is 24 strokes.

The punishment, which is administered following a mandatory medical examination, typically uses flexible rattan or bamboo canes measuring 60 to 120 cm in length and 4 to 13 mm in thickness. The penalty will not be applied to girls, women, or men over 50 years old.