Singapore activist fined for organizing public assembly without permit

Civil rights activist Jolovan Wham was fined on Thursday (Feb 21) for organizing a public assembly without a permit in 2016 and for refusing to sign a statement he gave to the police on the case.

Wham was sentenced a fine S$2,000 ($1,478.52) for organizing a public assembly without a permit. He was also sentenced to a fine of S$1,200 for refusing to sign a statement that he gave to police.

Wham's lawyer told the court that the social worker, 39, would serve the default sentence of 16 days' jail instead of paying the fine.

He also indicated that Wham would be appealing against the judge's decisions and is now out on a bail of $8,000.

Judge Kessler Soh told the court that Wham went ahead with the event “despite being informed that the event needed a permit”.

Wham, who was formerly executive director of migrant worker advocacy group the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, was found guilty of the two offenses last month after contesting them in a trial that began in October last year.

He had been found guilty of organizing an event called "Civil Disobedience and Social Movements" at The Agora, an indoor event venue, on Nov 26, 2016, without a permit.

Despite being advised by a police officer to apply for a permit prior to the event, Wham did not do so. The police started investigations after the event, and Wham recorded his statement at a police station about a month later.

Pro-democracy leader Joshua Wong, who helped organize protests in Hong Kong in 2014, participated in the event via Skype.

The multi-ethnic city-state has strict laws regulating the public assembly and bans foreigners from participating in events dealing with a political cause.

When an investigating officer took his statement, Wham had confirmed it to be true and correct but refused to sign it, saying he would do so only if he was given a copy.