BBC - Singaporean women acquitted over pro-Palestinian walk

[titusilvering]

so if other singaporean organising an procession to support israel should be ok too i think

Not go jail immediately?

 

[NintendoSwitch]

Actually 377 repeal in 2023 also during biden woke dei era.

That time immediately after a lot people open show affection in public by kissing hugging holding hands.

After trump reelected. Now seldom see liao.

Somehow the US affects the world

 

[keewee0415]

Yesterday got 2 threads on this.

1 kena locked.
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/...-procession-to-istana.7165077/#post-157640055

1 kena abandoned.

https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/...hey-dont-know-the-law.7165144/#post-157642270

 

[Kia7200]

Just another bunch of crazy sg female

 

[fortunehunter]

Even most middle east country do not allow protest.


Qatar.
Any person who conducts or organises a public meeting or procession without a licence shall be punished with detention for a term not less than six months and not exceeding three years, and a fine of no less than ten thousand (10,000) Riyals and not exceeding fifty thousand (50,000) Riyals.

UAE
In the UAE, protests are generally banned and unauthorized gatherings can be dispersed by police. Punishments for unauthorized protests or related activities can include arrest, imprisonment, and deportation. Under the UAE Labour Law, participating in a strike or unauthorized protest can lead to temporary suspension from work. Penalties for crimes like inciting hate speech through online platforms, which could be related to protest activities, can include a minimum of one year in prison and a fine.

 

[eeLoyH]

In a statement to the BBC, Singapore's prosecutorial office said it would file an appeal.

From the article.


A court in Singapore has acquitted three women who organised a walk to the presidential office to show support for the Palestinian cause.
The women were prosecuted for organising an illegal procession. But a judge ruled their actions did not meet the full charge.
One of the women told the BBC she felt that the unexpected acquittal would "give a new sense of energy and hope" to activists in Singapore.
Public demonstrations are uncommon in Singapore, which has very strict rules against protests and requires a police permit for any gathering promoting a cause. Authorities have also effectively banned public gatherings related to the Israel-Gaza war.

Any permit applications for public assemblies related to the Israel-Gaza war would be turned down because of the "real risk that such events could give rise to public disorder", as the war was a sensitive topic, authorities have said.
Singapore's government has argued that rules on demonstrations are necessary to maintain peace and harmony in the tiny country. Critics say that these rules stifle freedom of expression and civil activism.
The latest case centred on an event organised in February 2024 by community organiser Mossammad Sobikun Nahar and content creator Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori. They were assisted by community organiser Kokila Annamalai.
About 70 people showed up to take part in the walk from a shopping mall to the presidential office, known as the Istana.
Pictures of the event posted online showed the participants carrying umbrellas painted to look like watermelons, a symbol associated with the Palestinian cause.
Prosecutors later charged the three women for organising a procession without a permit in a prohibited area.
During their trial, the defence argued that the women had not known that their route on the perimeter of the Istana was in a prohibited area as they had travelled along public roads.
While the judge ruled that the women had indeed organised a procession, they also would "not have any inkling that using that route would be illegal or prohibited".
He noted they had used a public pavement and there were no signs indicating it was a prohibited area.
"It is clear from the evidence that the three of them were trying their level best not to run afoul of the law," he said.
If they had been convicted, each of the women could have been fined up to S$10,000 (£5,760; US$7,705), or jailed for up to six months, or received both penalties.

Provided by Kokila Annamalai
The three women posed with their supporters on Tuesday outside the State Courts in Singapore

The trial drew some attention in Singapore. Pictures of the three women dressed in clothing in the colours of the Palestinian flag and keffiyeh scarves for their court appearances went viral online.
Ms Annamalai told the BBC that the women deliberately chose their outfits to send a statement and "show our defiance and solidarity".
With activists in the past convicted for holding unlawful public assemblies - even if they were only attended by one person - some had expected the women to receive convictions.
Local media reports on Tuesday said there were "loud gasps" when the verdict was read out in the courtroom packed with the women's supporters.
Ms Annamalai said she had been "fully prepared to be convicted" and that their acquittal "came as a surprise".
"But it is also difficult to feel celebratory about it because we shouldn't have been charged in first place," she added.
She said their acquittal "can provide that new sense of energy and hope" as there was a "long fight ahead" for the civil rights movement and supporters of Palestine in Singapore. "The community needed a win," she said.
In a statement to the BBC, Singapore's prosecutorial office said it would file an appeal.
Police have launched investigations into other offline and online events related to the Israel-Gaza war.
The latest was in January when a group of local university students organised a memorial event for Palestinian students in front of a building said to house a research centre operated by an Israeli university. Six people have been questioned.
The Singapore government has consistently supported the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, and has supported Palestine's membership in the United Nations.
In September, Singapore's foreign minister said they would recognise a Palestinian state "when it has an effective government that accepts Israel's right to exist and categorically renounces terrorism".

Seriously the law should be in place to weed out movements like this. Just right after the hearing they have so many supporters outside “supporting” the win.

please do the right thing

 

[Philipkee]

Cases of acquittal under Singapore’s Public Order Act due to ignorance are extremely rare, and the recent pro-Palestinian procession case appears to be unprecedented in its reasoning.


What makes this case unique

• The three women were acquitted because the court accepted their honest and reasonable belief that the route they took was not prohibited — largely because there were no signs or clear indicators that the area near the Istana was restricted.
• This sets a notable precedent, as most previous cases involving unauthorized assemblies or processions have resulted in convictions or fines, even when the participants claimed they didn’t know the law.

Why ignorance usually fails as a defence

• Singapore’s legal system generally follows the principle that ignorance of the law is not a defence.
• However, the Public Order Act includes a specific clause allowing acquittal if the accused had a reasonable and honest belief that their actions were lawful — which the judge found applicable here.

No prior cases found

• Based on available records and reporting, there are no other publicly known cases where individuals were acquitted under the Public Order Act solely because they didn’t know the route was prohibited.

Weak law, edwin tong need to sexplain

Similar to in good faith act

if u do cpr on someone and she accuses u of molest, as long as u can prove u genuinely felt u were saving her life u will be acquitted.

But this one the act seems illegal in the first place, regardless of location

 

[ahnyaahnya]

How come got acquitted ah? So doing a procession is condoned now?

Prosecutor mistake was to charge them for something that they used the excuse of being unaware of . ( although normally ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse).
Should have just charged them for organising a protest. Everyone knows that that is not allowed without police permission. But probably this has lighter sentence?

 

[zueinder]

power loh. Even Singapore also succumb to woke movement.

 

[nonameless]

If want to do illegal things ask female to do, got discount ....