Singapore: Judicial harassment of three activists over organisation of a pro-Palestinian peaceful protest

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Singapore.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed about the judicial harassment and upcoming verdict in the case of Singaporean women human rights defenders Mses Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, and Sobikun Nahar. Kokila Annamalai is the co-founder and member of the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), an informal civil society group that seeks to reform Singapore’s criminal justice system starting with the abolition of the death penalty, and a member of the Workers Make Possible, a labour rights and tenant rights group. Sobikun Nahar is a TJC member and community organiser who has campaigned against the genocide in Palestine and poverty, sexual violence, the death penalty, and the abuses of the penitentiary system in Singapore. Siti Amirah Asrori is an online content creator who has advocated for the abolition of the death penalty and mobilised support in Singapore for the Palestinian struggle.

On 21 October 2025, the State Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict in the trial against Mses Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, and Sobikun Nahar, prosecuted over a pro-Palestinian peaceful assembly. If convicted, the three activists could face a jail term of up to six months, or a fine of up to S$10,000 (approximately 6,230 Euros).

On 27 June 2024, Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, and Sobikun Nahar were charged under the repressive Public Order Act (POA) for their involvement in an assembly without a permit in a prohibited area. The charges stemmed from a peaceful protest organised by Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori and Sobikun Nahar, with the advice of Kokila Annamalai. On 2 February 2024, a group of about 70 people, including Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori and Sobikun Nahar, gathered along Orchard Road and walked towards the Istana (the President’s Office, which also houses the Prime Minister’s Office) to deliver letters to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressing support for Palestinians amid the Israeli offensive that began in October 2023, and demanding the government to end ties with Israel, including those involving arms trade. The participants also carried umbrellas painted with images of a watermelon, which shares the colours of the Palestinian flag, to express solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The group stopped at the gates of the Istana and handed 140 letters to staff. Kokila Annamalai did not take part in the protest.

The Attorney-Generals' Chambers charged Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, and Sobikun Nahar each with one count of “organising a public procession in a prohibited area”, under Section 15(1) of the POA. Kokila Annamalai’s charge was inexplicably changed from that of “abetting in the organisation of a public procession in a prohibited area.” All three were granted bail of S$5,000 (approximately 3,145 Euros) by the State Court.

On 1 July 2025, their trial began at the State Court. Sobikun Nahar and Kokila Annamalai's cases were fixed for further mentions on 8 August 2025, while Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori's case was heard on 25 July 2025.

The Observatory recalls that the POA remains the legislative cornerstone of Singapore’s repression of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, particularly due to the highly restrictive authorisation regime. The POA requires all individuals who seek to organise a public assembly to give advance notice and apply for permission from the Commissioner of Police no less than 14 working days before the planned event. Under the POA, the Minister of Home Affairs can issue orders that prohibit public assemblies or processions in “any public place” (defined as a “prohibited area”), if it is “in the public interest to do so.” The subsidiary Public Order (Prohibited Areas) 2009 lists places that have been designated as “prohibited areas,” including the Istana, Parliament House, courthouses, and roads and places in the vicinity of these locations. The Commissioner of Police may refuse to grant a permit for a public assembly if he/she has “reasonable ground” to believe that the proposed assembly may result in “public disorder;” “a public nuisance;” “an obstruction in any public road;” or “feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different groups in Singapore.” All these broadly defined grounds, significantly restrict the exercise of freedom of assembly in Singapore and do not appear to be necessary or proportionate, as required by international standards.

Authorities have systematically invoked the POA to crack down on individuals and groups for exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly. Under Section 15(1) of the POA, anyone found guilty of organising a public assembly or procession in a “prohibited area” faces penalties of prison terms of up to six months, fines of up to S$10,000 (approximately 6,230 Euros), or both. Under Section 15(2), individuals who take part in such assemblies or processions face fines of up to S$5,000 (approximately 3,145 Euros).

In October 2023, Singaporean police said in a statement that they would not authorise events and public assemblies in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict, due to public safety and security concerns.

The Observatory expresses its grave concern over the judicial harassment and upcoming verdict in the case of Mses Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, and Sobikun Nahar, which seem to be only aimed at punishing them for their legitimate exercise of their right to freedom of peaceful assembly.

The Observatory urges the authorities of Singapore to put an end to any act of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mses Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, and Sobikun Nahar, and to guarantee in all circumstances the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly in the country.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of Singapore asking them to:

• Guarantee in all circumstances the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Mses Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, Sobikun Nahar, and all other human rights defenders in Singapore;
• Put an end to any act of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mses Kokila Annamalai, Siti Amirah Binte Mohamed Asrori, Sobikun Nahar, and all human rights defenders in Singapore, and ensure in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance or fear of reprisals; and
• Guarantee in any circumstances the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and amend the Public Order Act to bring it into line with international human rights standards.

Addresses:

• Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore; E-mail: istana_feedback@istana.gov.sg; X: @Tharman_S
• Mr Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore; E-mail: pmo_hq@pmo.gov.sg; X: @LawrenceWongST
• Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, E-mail: pmo_hq@pmo.gov.sg
• H.E. Mr Umeh Bhatia, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland; E-mail: singaporeUN@outlook.com
• H.E. Mr Lim Hong Huai, Ambassador, Embassy of Singapore in Brussels, Belgium; E-mail: singemb_bru@mfa.sg

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Singapore in your respective countries.

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Paris-Geneva, 20 October 2025

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). The objective of this programme is to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.

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Email: alert@observatoryfordefenders.org
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