[Statement] Acquittal of the three women charged with organising a procession outside the Istana to publicise the cause of solidarity with Palestine

23 October 2025

We applaud the acquittal of Ms Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, Ms Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, and Ms Annamalai Kokila Parvathi on 21 October 2025 for their alleged organisation of a procession outside the Istana.

This case underscores the challenges activists face under the Public Order Act, where stringent permit requirements can inadvertently stifle legitimate advocacy, such as expressing solidarity with Palestine. While Singapore’s emphasis on public order is understandable, laws must balance security with the fundamental right to freedom of expression, as recognized in international human rights frameworks like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Singapore is a signatory.

We urge policymakers to review the clarity of regulations around prohibited areas and permit processes to prevent similar misunderstandings and ensure civic space for non-violent advocacy. The courage of these women also highlights the need for greater public awareness and dialogue on balancing civic freedoms with Singapore’s unique socio-political context. This acquittal is a step toward fostering a more inclusive environment for peaceful activism in Singapore.

MARUAH


(Updated with slides) The Public Order Act and its disempowering effect on Singapore – Sunday, 20 December 2020

10 December 2020

Please click on the links below to access a copy of the slides used by the speakers during their presentation.

Presentation by Priscilla Chia – “Public Order Act – Criminalising civil disobedience?”

Presentation by Howard Lee – “The Public Order Act – Media Analysis & Impact”

Once again, we thank our speakers, Ms Priscilla Chia and Mr Howard Lee, and all participants for making time this afternoon to discuss the impact of the misuse of the Public Order Act on political and social discourse in our country.

We look forward to having you join us again at our next event. Please keep a lookout on our Facebook page or here on this website for updates.

MARUAH Secretariat


We stand #InSolidarity for Civic Space

8 June 2020

#InSolidarity – Appeal for smiley images from Singaporeans

3 June 2020

As you are probably aware, Singapore civil and migrant workers’ rights activist Jolovan Wham is being investigated for holding up a placard with a smiley ☺ in a public space outside a police station. He was alone. You can read details of this on his Twitter account at https://twitter.com/jolovanwham/status/1263022005223165957

Several people have also expressed their support for a more open and accessible civic space by posting images of themselves with a smiley on their personal social media accounts. Others have also sent Jolovan Wham their own smiley photos for his Facebook page (https://m.facebook.com/jolovan.wham).

MARUAH, as a human rights organisation, states again that amendments to the Public Order Act (2017) mean further restrictions, crippling civic space. Human Rights Watch, in 2017, stated that Singapore’s definition of “public assembly” in the Public Order Act is extremely broad, which means that it can be interpreted to encompass everything from handing out leaflets on the death penalty to an individual standing silently holding a placard. (https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/12/12/kill-chicken-scare-monkeys/suppression-free-expression-and-assembly-singapore).

We would like to invite members and friends of MARUAH Singapore to show your support for civic space by submitting a photo of yourself with a smiley face. 

Here are two samples:

Smiley - sample 1
Smiley - sample 2

MARUAH Singapore will collate the photos into a Zoom-style layout with the following message – 

We support smileys and individuals’ peaceful voices in public.

#InSolidarity for Civic Space
#InSolidarity Against the Public Order Act(2017)

Please submit your images to maruahsg@gmail.com by Friday, 5 June 5.00pm. Do let us know if you need any further information.

Thanking you #InSolidarity, 

MARUAH Singapore