Singapore activists fined for “unlawful” protest supporting Palestine

A court in Singapore has fined three women who organised a march in support of the Palestinian cause, overturning an earlier decision that had acquitted them.

The High Court on Thursday imposed a fine of S$3,000 (about $2,300; £1,700) each after the prosecution successfully appealed their acquittal. The women had initially been cleared in October last year of organising an unlawful procession in 2024.

The group had taken part in a walk involving about 70 people from a shopping mall to the presidential compound to deliver letters calling on the government to sever ties with Israel amid the Gaza conflict.

Public protests are tightly controlled in Singapore, where demonstrations are rare and authorities have effectively prohibited gatherings linked to the Israel-Gaza war.

The three activists — Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, and Kokila Annamalai — were charged in June 2024 for leading an unauthorised procession in a restricted area.

During the trial, their lawyers argued that the participants had walked along public roads and were unaware that part of the route near the presidential compound was restricted.

The trial court had previously acquitted them, stating that evidence suggested they had made efforts to comply with the law.

One of the women, Annamalai, said after the initial ruling that it had given activists in Singapore “a new sense of energy and hope.”

However, the High Court later ruled that the women should have taken additional steps to confirm whether their planned route was permitted, according to local reports.

Following the latest decision, Annamalai said there is “a long fight ahead towards democratisation in Singapore,” adding that civil disobedience plays an important role. She also maintained that citizens should have the right to deliver petitions to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Singaporean government argues that strict rules on public assembly are necessary to preserve social harmony, though critics say they limit free expression and civic activism.