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WFDA
statement on CSJ's imprisonment in Singapore
World
Forum for Democracy in Asia
23 Nov 06
The World Forum
for Democratization in Asia (WFDA) strongly condemns the jail
sentence passed on one of our Steering Committee members, Dr.
Chee Soon Juan, Chairman of the Alliance of Reform and Democracy
in Asia (ARDA). The Subordinate Court of Singapore today
sentenced him to five weeks in prison for the "crime"of
speaking in public without a valid permit; his term began today.
Two of his colleagues from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP),
Mr. Gandhi Ambalam and Mr. Yap Keng Ho, were also sentenced to
shorter terms. The "offense"for which they were
convicted was an instance of speaking to passing citizens as they
were selling the party newspaper on the street on 22 April of
this year.
This is yet another step in the ongoing
judicial persecution of Dr. Chee and the members of the SDP. Dr.
Chee has already been bankrupted and deprived of his civil
rights, including the right to travel, as a result of a libel
suit by Singapore's strongman Lee Kuan Yew and then Prime
Minister Goh Chok Tong. Similarly, a critical article in the
party's newspaper in the run-up to the general elections in May
2006 has resulted in a further libel suit against the whole party
leadership, including ARDA's Secretary General and one of its
staff members, who are likely to be rendered bankrupt at a
separate hearing tomorrow (24 November). Dr. Chee also faces a
further trial in December on charges of attempting to leave the
country to attend the World Movement for Democracy Fourth
Assembly earlier this year.
These actions have not taken
place in a vacuum. In recent weeks, amendments to the Penal Code
have been drafted to further restrict and criminalize many forms
of speech, including internet content, drawing complaints from
several international media organizations. In September, the Far
Eastern Economic Review was banned, and accredited civil society
representatives from many countries were refused entry for the
IMF/World Bank meetings.
We call on the judiciary of
Singapore to live up to its proper mission to uphold the rule of
law by protecting the basic human rights of all Singaporean
citizens, including the right to free speech and participation in
public affairs. In particular, it should immediately cease this
politically motivated persecution of Dr. Chee, overturn his
prison sentence, and restore all his civil rights, including the
right to stand for office
and the unfettered right to
international travel.
We further call on the international
community, especially democracies in Asia and beyond, to place
issues of human rights firmly on the agenda in their relations
with Singapore. The government of Singapore must be made to
understand that such repressive tactics are not compatible with
Singapore's image as an advanced society. This process should
begin at the upcoming 12th ASEAN Summit -- with its theme "One
Caring and Sharing Community"– and the 2nd East Asian
Summit, as well as in all relevant meetings with ASEAN dialogue
partners.
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