The Singapore government should drop a wave of charges against seven activists and human rights defenders under the Public Order Act and other overly broad and restrictive laws, Amnesty International, CIVICUS and Human Rights Watch said today. The charges relate to protests, vigils and other forms of public advocacy concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza and opposition to the death penalty. Criminalizing such activities is a clear violation of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and the latest chapter in a long-standing campaign against activists and human rights defenders in the country.
On 7 September, activist Jolovan Wham appeared at the State Court where he was handed six charges for organizing a public assembly outside the State Court, taking part in candlelight vigils for persons facing execution, and refusing to answer questions from the police. If convicted of the charges, he faces up to a year in jail, a fine of up to S$20,000 or both. He is already appealing a conviction under the Public Order Act for participating in vigils for people facing execution between 2022 and 2025 without a police permit.
On 9 September, six other human rights defenders - Elijah Tay, Kyal Sin Linn Naing, Dayana Noor Mohamed, Nur Sabrina Kamel, Nurul Afiqah Kamel and Amirah Binti Mokhlis - were charged at the State Court for taking part or organizing peaceful activities related to solidarity with Palestine, and opposition to the death penalty. The six are facing a range of charges under the Public Order Act, the Penal Code and the Protection from Harassment Act. In addition, other participants of the same activities were reportedly given "conditional" or "stern" warnings by the police.
The activities include a procession to deliver a letter to the Presidential Palace, a kite-flying activity and shoe memorial in solidarity of Palestinians killed in the Gaza conflict aside from candlelight vigils outside Changi Prison for those facing imminent execution, all of which took place without a police permit.
Singapore heavily restricts public assemblies and processions under the Public Order Act. Authorities maintain that under the Act, even small-scale protests, vigils, marches and other forms of public advocacy require prior police authorization.
The prosecution of individuals for peacefully expressing their views and assembling in support of human rights causes raises serious concerns about the continuing restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Singapore.
In particular, the repeated use of Singapore's permit regime to criminalize or restrict peaceful public gatherings is a deeply troubling infringement of the right to peaceful assembly and has contributed to an increasingly restrictive environment for civic participation and dissent. The government has cited the lack of permits for activities including processions, vigils, a protest outside the State Courts, a memorial display at the National University of Singapore, and a mass kite-flying event highlighting concerns about the conflict in Gaza as the reason for charges.
The unprecedented use of Section 179 of the Penal Code against activists for refusing to answer police questions raises profound concerns about the protection of the right to a fair trial, particularly in a system where individuals are denied access to legal counsel during police questioning.
The lengthy delay between many of the alleged acts and the decision to bring charges also appears designed to create a climate of prolonged uncertainty for activists and human rights defenders. Several of the incidents cited by the authorities took place in 2024 and early 2025, yet charges are only being pursued in September 2026. The decision to revive or pursue criminal cases months or years after peaceful protest activities has a further chilling effect on the exercise of fundamental freedoms, as individuals face the prospect of legal action hanging over them long after participating in peaceful advocacy.
The charges reflect an entrenched policy by the Singapore government of using restrictive laws to investigate, prosecute and silence activists and human rights defenders. Criminal sanctions against individuals for participating in peaceful protests or acts of solidarity have a chilling effect on civic space and discourage public engagement on matters of legitimate public concern.
These actions are also inconsistent with calls made by states during Singapore 's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council in May 2026 to respect the right to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and to protect human rights defenders from reprisals.
Amnesty International, CIVICUS and Human Rights Watch call on the Singapore government to immediately drop all charges against those being prosecuted for the exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and cease any judicial harassment against them. The government should also review laws and practices that unduly restrict freedom of expression and peaceful protest, including the Public Order Act and Singapore's highly restrictive permit regime and bring them into line with international human rights standards. The pattern of criminalizing peaceful dissent must end, and activists and human rights defenders must be allowed to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.
