Human rights groups have condemned the charges against Jolovan Wham and the targeting of groups and individuals opposed to the use of death penalty.
This statement was originally published on globalvoices.org on 10 February 2025.
Authorities accused of targeting anti-death penalty activists
“Your Honour, it is the state who should be on trial, not me. I didn’t kill anyone.” This was what Singapore activist Jolovan Wham reportedly said in court on February 3 after being charged with five counts of violating the Public Order Act for participating in five candlelight vigils for death row inmates between March 29, 2022 and April 26, 2023.
Singapore’s Public Order Act strictly prohibits public assemblies and requires a permit for political protests. Those convicted of taking part in a public assembly without a permit can be fined up to SGD 3,000 (USD 2,200). Repeat offenders can be fined up to SGD 5,000 (USD 3,700).
Wham participated in public vigils in support of the campaign against death penalty. The candle lighting events commemorated the executions of death row inmates convicted for drug trafficking charges.
Around 30 people accompanied Wham during his court appearance this month. Eljah Tay, one of those who expressed support for Wham, posted on Instagram about the solidarity gathering.
It is ridiculous that this is how the state continues to use our public resources, especially while the state gets away scot-free for the murders they have been committing behind bars.
Human rights groups have condemned the charges against Wham and the targeting of groups and individuals opposed to the use of death penalty. The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation have issued a joint statement urging authorities to drop the charges.
These recent charges against Jolovan Wham demonstrate how Singapore maintains a restrictive environment against activists. This is a clear example of judicial harassment made in retaliation for simply exercising one’s right to protest and freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.
They also pointed out that the election of a new prime minister did not lead to the review of the use of laws to silence critics. “The persistent use of restrictive laws – including the Public Order Act – to prosecute human rights defenders shows that nothing has changed under this new administration.”
This is not the first time that Wham has faced prosecution for his activism. He has been penalized in the past for organizing “illegal assemblies” and protesting without securing a permit. In November 2020, he was charged for holding a sign with a smiley face in support of climate activists.
In an interview with Human Rights Foundation in August 2024, Wham cited the lack of freedom in Singapore.
In Singapore, to say or do anything that the government does not approve of is to risk being detained. This is why there are so few human rights activists in Singapore and why my colleagues and I must keep doing what we do. They fined me thousands of dollars for simply protesting or posting on social media. There is no freedom of expression or freedom of association in Singapore, which is why it is not a democracy.
It is unclear if other activists who also participated in the public vigils will also face charges. Wham is scheduled to appear in court again on April 1.
Written by Mong Palatino
