URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATOR
SGP 001 / 1217 / OBS 117
Judicial harassment
Singapore
December 8, 2017
The
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership
of 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 by reliable sources about the judicial harassment against Mr. Jolovan Wham,
social worker, human rights advocate, and former Executive Director of
the NGO Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME)[1], and eight other activists for the exercise of their right to peaceful assembly.
According
to the information received, on November 28, 2017, Mr. Jolovan Whan was
detained at the Central Police Station in Singapore, and released on
bail later that day.
On
November 29, 2017, the State Court charged Mr. Jolovan Wham with: 1)
"organising public assemblies without a permit", under the Public Order
Act (three charges); 2) "vandalism", under the Vandalism Act (one
charge); and 3) "refusing to sign statements", under Article 180 of the
Criminal Code (three charges). The seven charges are related to three
peaceful gatherings held by various activists, including Mr. Jolovan
Wham, in Singapore between November 2016 and July 2017 without obtaining
prior permission from the police.
Under
Article 16(1)(a) of the Public Order Act, organising a public assembly
without obtaining police permit is an offense that is punishable with
fines of up to SGD 5,000 (approx. 3,140 Euros). Repeat offenders can be
fined up to SGD 10,000 (approx. 6,280 Euros) or imprisoned for up to six
months, or both. Under Article 3 of the Vandalism Act, the offence of
vandalism is punishable with a fine not exceeding SGD 2,000 (approx.
1256 Euros) or imprisonment not exceeding three years.
The
three peaceful gatherings from which the charges under the Public Order
Act stem were: 1) a forum to discuss civil disobedience and social
movement (held on November 26, 2016); 2) a silent protest on a Mass
Rapid Transport (MRT) train to mark the 30th anniversary of the
detention without trial of 22 people under the draconian Internal
Security Act (ISA) as part of Operation Spectrum in May-June 1987
(held on June 3, 2017); and (3) a candlelight vigil outside Changi
Prison to support the family of Prabagaran Srivijayan, a Malaysian
national, awaiting execution for drug trafficking (held on July 13,
2017)[2].
Moreover,
on December 5, 2017, eight other activists who took part in the three
above-referenced peaceful assemblies reported themselves voluntarily to
the police and were given warnings that may be facing charges should
they participate in other gatherings.
The
Observatory denounces the judicial harassment of Mr. Jolovan Wham and
the other above-mentioned activists, which only aims at punishing them
for their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities and the
exercise of their right to peaceful assembly.
Actions requested:
Please write to the Singaporean authorities to urge them to:
i. Drop all charges against Mr. Jolovan Wham;
ii. Put an end to all forms of harassment, including
at the judicial level, against Mr. Jolovan Wham, the above-mentioned
demonstrators and all human rights defenders in the country so that they
are able to carry out their work without hindrance;
iii. Ensure full respect for the right to peaceful assembly in accordance with relevant international human rights standards;
iv. Comply with the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular with its Articles 1, 6(c) and 12.2;
v.
Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
Addresses:
· Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, Fax: +65 63328983/68356621, Email: pmo_hq@pmo.gov.sg; Twitter: @leehsienloong
· Mr. Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs, Minister of Law, Fax: +65 62546250/ 633 28842, Email: mha_feedback@mha.gov.sg
· Mr. Lucien Wong, Attorney General, Fax: +65 6538 9000
· H.E. Mr Foo Kok Jwee, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Singapore in Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41-22-796 8078, E-mail: mfa_geneva@mfa.gov.sg;
· H.E. Mr. Jaya Ratnam, Ambassador, Embassy of Singapore in Brussels, Belgium, Fax: +32 2 660 8685; Email: singemb_bru@mfa.sg
Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Singapore in your respective countries.
***
Paris-Geneva, December 8, 2017
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.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
· Tel and fax OMCT +41 22 809 49 39 / +41 22 809 49 29
· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
Joint Statement: Malaysians in solidarity with Jolovan Wham
We
are a group of concerned Malaysian citizens who are alarmed and
disappointed by Singapore’s prosecution of the renowned social worker
and activist Jolovan Wham.
Jolovan
was charged with 7 offences under the Public Order Act, Vandalism Act,
and the Penal Code for his peaceful and non-violent acts. He was alleged
to have organized three unlawful assemblies, which involves holding a
vigil outside Changi Prison for Malaysian death row inmate Prabagaran
Srivijayan who was to be executed at dawn, organising an assembly
without permit in a train and a forum involving Hong Kong activist
Joshua Wong through skype.
In
the alleged silent protest on an MRT train, Jolovan and eight others
hold the book 1987: Singapore’s Marxist Conspiracy 30 Years On to
commemorate “Operation Spectrum”, a security operation initiated by
Singapore government in 1987. Jolovan faces a vandalism charge for
sticking two A4 size papers on the train during the event. He also faces
three counts of refusal to sign his recorded statement under the Penal
Code.
Jolovan
is a renowned social worker and activist. He bravely speaks up for the
voiceless, the weak and the oppressed - no matter what race, class or
gender. Jolovan was recognized for his excellent social work, for he
received “Promising Social Worker Award” in 2011, and the award was
conferred by the President of Singapore. When he was serving as the
executive director of HOME (Humanitarian Organisation for Migration
Economics), he fought for the rights of migrant workers in Singapore who
suffered abuse and ill-treatment by employers. At the same time, he has
been a staunch advocate of free speech and a human rights champion who
speaks against death penalty and detention without trial.
Jolovan
also initiated solidarity activities in Singapore to support social
movements in other parts of Asia, such as Hong Kong and Malaysia. For
example, after the 13th Malaysian general election, he organized
cross-border solidarity activities to support fair and clean elections
in Malaysia, not to mention his support for Malaysia’s largest rally in
recent years, Bersih. He also shows untiring supports for Malaysian
death row inmates in Singapore such as Prabagaran Srivijayan.
We
believe that Jolovan is the conscience of Singapore who bravely speaks
up for the voiceless, who opposes unjust treatment and policies towards
the marginalized. What is even more admirable of Jolovan is that, while
fighting for minority rights in Singapore, he always goes beyond
national borders and boundaries. His solidarity activities show that
Singapore’s civic movement not only fights for Singaporeans, but also
speaks for worldwide democracies and marginalized foreigners in
Singapore. He demonstrates how Singaporeans and Singapore civil society
can join forces and unite with democratic movements around the world.
The
prosecution of Jolovan is a scare tactic to silence dissidents in
Singapore. Non-violent and peaceful assembly is meant to raise awareness
among the public to achieve a democratic society, and thus it is not
reasonable for Singapore government to charge him with these criminal
laws.
Recently,
we find that Singapore government is acting more actively to suppress
dissidents. Besides Jolovan, other individuals are facing arrests and
investigation include editor of The Online Citizen Terry Xu and
journalist Kirsten Han, who were investigated for participating the
vigil activity for Prabagaran Srivijayan; activist Rachel Zeng also
faces investigation for organizing the skype forum with Joshua Wong; and
artist Seelan Palay, who was arrested for his performance outside
parliament to commemorate the 32-year detention of Chia Thye Poh.
Singapore
ranks No. 1 in the world in many sectors, but its disregard of freedom
of speech and assembly and its harsh actions towards dissidents are
utterly disappointing. We support Jolovan and other human rights
advocates in Singapore, and condemn the use of draconian laws against
dissidents. We urge the Attorney General of Singapore to drop the
charges against Jolovan and cease all proceedings against him.
We
also call for Singapore to review its law to protect freedom of speech
and peaceful assembly, to show the world that Singapore government is
committed to democracy and the protection of the rights of its citizens.
We
refuse to keep silent when confronted with injustice. As issues of
human rights and humanitarian ideals transcend national boundaries, we
urge citizens of Singapore and Malaysia to stand in solidarity with
Jolovan Wham.
联署声明：谴责新加坡政府无理提控，大马人声援范国瀚
我们是一群关心新加坡人权和公民社会状况的大马公民团体。
范国瀚因“无准证举办集会”在公共秩序法令下被控三项罪：
在地铁上的无声抗议活动中，范国瀚与其他八人在车厢里沉默站着，
范国瀚是新加坡知名社工和社运人士，
范国瀚长期关注亚洲各地如大马和香港的人权状况，
我们认为，范国瀚是新加坡的良心，勇敢为弱势发声，
新加坡政府对范国瀚的严厉起诉，是杀一儆百的做法，
近年来，新加坡政府对异议分子的打压更趋严厉，除了范国瀚以外，
虽然，新加坡在国际多项指标位居第一，
我们也呼吁新加坡政府修法保障言论自由与和平集会活动，
面对不公不义，我们拒绝沉默。人权与人道精神超越国界，
联署团体 Endorsed by:
1. Aliran 国民醒觉运动
2. Amateur业余者
3. Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (WargaAMAN)
4. Baramkini 当今峇南
5. Buku Jalanan Shah Alam 街头书坊沙亚南分部
6. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) 原住民关怀中心
7. Center to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4) 反贪污与朋党主义中心
8. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) 独立新闻中心
9. Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0) 干净公平选举联盟2.0
10. Community Development Centre (CDC) 社区关怀中心
11. Damn the Dams Action Group 反水坝行动小组
12. ENGAGE愿景工程
13. Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation (PRIMA)
14. Imagined Malaysia
15. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT) 受压迫人民阵线
16. Johor Yellow Flame (JYF) 柔南黄色行动小组
17. Kedai Buku Mak Ali
18. KLSCAH Civil Rights Committee 隆雪华堂民权委员会
19. KLSCAH Youth Section隆雪华堂青年团
20. Lawyer for Liberty捍卫自由律师团
21. Let's Art At Sawit Center沙威文创社
22. Malaysia Christian for Justice
23. Malaysia Muda 马来西亚青年
24. Malaysia Youth & Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)马来西亚青年与学生民主运动
25. Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS) 大马印裔进步协会
26. Malaysian Indians Transformation Action Team (MITRA)
27. Malaysian Youth Care Association (PRIHATIN)
28. Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)大马反死刑与酷刑组织
29. Meonet 大马选举监督网络
30. Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN)
31. National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) 大马人权协会
32. North South Initiative (NSI)
33. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) 马来西亚社会主义党
34. Perak Civic Forum 霹雳公民论坛
35. Persahabatan Semparuthi 大红花之友
36. Persatuan ALUMNI PBT USM Bahagian Utara 北马理华同学会
37. Persatuan Komuniti Prihatian Selangor dan KL
38. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
39. Persatuan Pendidikan Du Zhong Pulau Pinang 槟城独中教育基金会
40. Persatuan Rapat Malaysia (RAPAT)
41. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor (PSWS)雪兰莪妇女之友协会
42. Pusat Komas 社区传播中心
43. Pusat Sejarah Rakyat 人民历史中心
44. Sahabat Rakyat 人民之友
45. Selangor & Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Association Youth Wing雪兰莪暨吉隆坡福建会馆青年团
46. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) 人民之声
47. Sunflower Electoral Education Movement (SEED) 向日葵选举教育运动
48. Tenaganita Womens Force 大马妇女力量
49. Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy赵明福民主基金会
50. Thinking Society思辨会社
51. Writers' Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) 维护媒体独立撰稿人联盟
52. Yayasan Usman Awang 乌士曼阿旺基金会
2. Amateur业余者
3. Angkatan Warga Aman Malaysia (WargaAMAN)
4. Baramkini 当今峇南
5. Buku Jalanan Shah Alam 街头书坊沙亚南分部
6. Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) 原住民关怀中心
7. Center to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4) 反贪污与朋党主义中心
8. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) 独立新闻中心
9. Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0) 干净公平选举联盟2.0
10. Community Development Centre (CDC) 社区关怀中心
11. Damn the Dams Action Group 反水坝行动小组
12. ENGAGE愿景工程
13. Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisation (PRIMA)
14. Imagined Malaysia
15. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT) 受压迫人民阵线
16. Johor Yellow Flame (JYF) 柔南黄色行动小组
17. Kedai Buku Mak Ali
18. KLSCAH Civil Rights Committee 隆雪华堂民权委员会
19. KLSCAH Youth Section隆雪华堂青年团
20. Lawyer for Liberty捍卫自由律师团
21. Let's Art At Sawit Center沙威文创社
22. Malaysia Christian for Justice
23. Malaysia Muda 马来西亚青年
24. Malaysia Youth & Student Democratic Movement (DEMA)马来西亚青年与学生民主运动
25. Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS) 大马印裔进步协会
26. Malaysian Indians Transformation Action Team (MITRA)
27. Malaysian Youth Care Association (PRIHATIN)
28. Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)大马反死刑与酷刑组织
29. Meonet 大马选举监督网络
30. Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN)
31. National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) 大马人权协会
32. North South Initiative (NSI)
33. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) 马来西亚社会主义党
34. Perak Civic Forum 霹雳公民论坛
35. Persahabatan Semparuthi 大红花之友
36. Persatuan ALUMNI PBT USM Bahagian Utara 北马理华同学会
37. Persatuan Komuniti Prihatian Selangor dan KL
38. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)
39. Persatuan Pendidikan Du Zhong Pulau Pinang 槟城独中教育基金会
40. Persatuan Rapat Malaysia (RAPAT)
41. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor (PSWS)雪兰莪妇女之友协会
42. Pusat Komas 社区传播中心
43. Pusat Sejarah Rakyat 人民历史中心
44. Sahabat Rakyat 人民之友
45. Selangor & Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Association Youth Wing雪兰莪暨吉隆坡福建会馆青年团
46. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) 人民之声
47. Sunflower Electoral Education Movement (SEED) 向日葵选举教育运动
48. Tenaganita Womens Force 大马妇女力量
49. Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy赵明福民主基金会
50. Thinking Society思辨会社
51. Writers' Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) 维护媒体独立撰稿人联盟
52. Yayasan Usman Awang 乌士曼阿旺基金会
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