Covering events from January-December 2001

Republic of Singapore
Head of state: S.R. Nathan
Head of government: Goh Chok Tong
Capital: Singapore City
Population: 4.1 million
Official languages: Chinese, Malay, Tamil, English
Death penalty: retentionist

Freedom of expression continued to be curbed by restrictive legislation and by the effects of civil defamation suits against political opponents. Peaceful demonstrators also faced penalties. At least 24 Jehovah's Witnesses were imprisoned during the year. Death sentences continued to be imposed and at least two executions were known to have been carried out. Criminal offenders were sentenced to caning.

Background

The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) continued its domination of the political scene, winning 82 out of 84 parliamentary seats in elections in November. On the opening day of the election campaign the PAP's control was confirmed when opposition candidates contested only 29 of the seats. The small and poorly funded opposition parties complained that constituency changes and a range of regulations imposed by the PAP made it more difficult for them to win votes. The Parliamentary Elections Act was amended, curbing the use of the Internet for political campaigning and banning the publication of opinion polls during elections.

Curbs on freedom of expression

The threats of potentially ruinous civil defamation suits against opponents of the PAP continued to inhibit political life and engendered a climate of self-censorship. The Internal Security Act (ISA) and other restrictive legislation remained in place, thus continuing to allow for indefinite detention without trial and undermining the rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Government controls imposed on the press and civil society organizations also curbed freedom of expression and were an obstacle to the independent monitoring of human rights. Two non-governmental civil society groups, the Think Centre and the Open Singapore Centre, were classified by the government as political associations, thereby making them ineligible for foreign funding and subjecting them to other restrictions. In April a law was passed empowering the government to restrict or suspend foreign broadcast services considered to be engaging in domestic politics. Foreign print media were already subject to similar restrictions.

Curbs on freedom of assembly

Fifteen members of the Falun Gong spiritual group were arrested for holding a vigil in memory of group members who had died in custody in China. In March seven of them were sentenced to four weeks in prison, reportedly for refusal to disperse during the vigil. Another eight were fined for holding a rally without a police permit. Under Singaporean law all assemblies of five or more people in public require a police permit.

In early 2001, two activists from the Think Centre and the Open Singapore Centre were questioned by police in connection with a peaceful rally they had organized to mark international human rights day. Participants at the rally had called for greater political freedoms and abolition of the ISA. The activists had also planned a marathon run for human rights, but were refused a police permit. Opposition groups criticized the procedures for applying for permits as arbitrary and lacking in transparency.

Civil defamation suits

Opposition figures continued to face politically motivated civil defamation suits which carried the threat of financial ruin. While the government claimed that PAP leaders had a legitimate right to defend their reputation, there were grave concerns that their real motive was to silence selected opposition figures and remove them from public life.

  • J.B. Jeyaretnam, aged 75, a vocal government critic and former leader of the opposition Workers' Party, was declared bankrupt in January after being one day late in paying an instalment of libel damages. The proceedings stemmed from a defamation payment awarded against him, as the editor of the Workers' Party newsletter, for allegedly defaming members of the ethnic Tamil community in an article written by a colleague in 1995. After losing his court appeal against the bankruptcy order in July, he was expelled from parliament, barred from practising as a lawyer and prevented from standing as a candidate or from taking any active part in the subsequent elections. He continued to face separate defamation suits lodged against him in 1997 by Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew and other leading PAP members.
  • In November, the Prime Minister and Senior Minister lodged a defamation suit against Chee Soon Juan, leader of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party, after he publicly questioned them during the election campaign about a multi-billion dollar loan previously offered to former President Suharto of Indonesia. Chee Soon Juan apologized to the Ministers, but subsequently withdrew his apology and filed a suit against them for allegedly defaming him.
Conscientious objectors

At least 24 conscientious objectors to military service were imprisoned during the year. All were members of the banned Jehovah's Witnesses religious group. There was no alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors to military service.

Detention without trial

In December, 15 men were detained without trial under the ISA. They were accused by the authorities of having links to the al-Qa'ida network and of plotting to bomb the USembassy and other targets in Singapore. During the police investigation they were held incommunicado, raising concerns that they could be subjected to torture or ill-treatment.

Death penalty

The death penalty was mandatory for drug trafficking, murder, treason and certain firearms offences. At least two executions for drug trafficking were recorded but the true number was believed to be higher. Zulfikar Bin Mustaffah and Thiru Selvam were hanged in September for drug trafficking. Thiru Selvam was reportedly sentenced to death on the basis of the testimony of another man who had been found in possession of marijuana. The judge had reportedly offered Thiru Selvam a prison sentence if he confessed. Between 1991 and 2000, 340 people were hanged, giving Singapore probably one of the highest execution rates in the world, relative to its population.

Cruel judicial punishment

Caning, which constitutes cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, remained mandatory for some 30 crimes, including attempted murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking, illegal immigration offences and vandalism. It was not known how many sentences were carried out during the year. Under the law, caning may be imposed on juvenile offenders.

AI country reports/visits

Reports
  • Singapore: International trial observer to attend Court of Appeal as former opposition leader J.B. Jeyaretnam faces possible expulsion from parliament (AI Index: ASA 36/005/2001)
  • Singapore: Defamation suits threaten Chee Soon Juan and erode freedom of expression (AI Index: ASA 36/010/2001)
Visit

In July a representative of AI and Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada attended two Court of Appeal hearings related to the libel actions against J.B. Jeyaretnam

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