A former Veolia executive and aquaculture enthusiast, Tom Félix has been on trial since Monday in Alor Setar, northwest Malaysia. The Frenchman is contesting charges of drug possession and trafficking, for which he faces a death sentence or 104 years in prison with beatings and a heavy fine. He was arrested in August 2023 on the island of Langkawi, where police discovered several hundred grams of cannabis in the common areas of the house he shared with a Malaysian associate.
Detention conditions deemed inhumane by his family
The trial, which is scheduled to last several days, was suspended Monday morning due to a procedural issue and is scheduled to resume this Tuesday. Incarcerated for twenty-two months in Perlis Prison, Tom Felix is experiencing a veritable ordeal, according to his relatives. He sleeps on a floor mat, shares his cell with other inmates, without any real privacy or adequate medical care. His family reports an alarming physical condition and suicidal thoughts expressed during previous conversations.
During the investigation, Tom was reportedly exonerated by his roommate and his partner, but this had no impact on the case. His French lawyer, François Zimeray, denounced a judicial system that "crushes men," while his parents, teachers at the French high school in Singapore, were received by Emmanuel Macron At the end of May, the president pledged to intervene. A mural of support was painted in La Rochelle, where Tom studied, calling for his release.
