Activist Jolovan Wham charged for organising illegal public assemblies
Civil activist Jolovan Wham appeared in court on Wednesday (29 November) to face charges for organising several illegal public assemblies, including a vigil outside Changi Prison and a silent protest on an MRT train. He was also charged with three counts of refusing to sign statements which he had given to the police, and one count of vandalism.
Wham, the former executive director of HOME, a migrant worker advocacy group, faces three counts of organising public assemblies without police permits on three occasions in June, July and November this year.
The 37-year-old, who appeared in court on Wednesday in a red shirt and jeans, did not have a lawyer with him. He told the court that he would “like to seek legal advice”.
Wham’s pre-trial conference has been fixed for 13 December and his bail fixed at $8,000.
On 3 June, Wham organised a “silent protest” on an MRT train along the North South Line from 5pm to 7pm commemorate the 30th anniversary of “Operation Spectrum”. The event, which was held without a permit, was joined by eight other people. Wham also allegedly vandalised the MRT train by pasting two pieces of paper on its panel. The eight are currently under investigation.
Wham had posted on Facebook photos of people wearing blindfolds and holding the book “1987” on a North South Line train.
A month later on 13 July, Wham organised a vigil outside Changi Prison Complex between 11.15pm and 11.30pm for Malaysian prisoner Prabagaran Srivijayan. Prabagaran was hung at dawn on 14 July after being convicted of importing heroin into Singapore.
Wham’s vigil for Prabagaran was held without a permit. The event was held with 16 others, who are currently under investigation.
On Sunday (26 November), Wham organised a public assembly at The Agora at Midview City in Sin Ming Lane, during which Hong Kong student activist Joshua Wong Chi Fung gave a speech. The event, which was about civil disobedience and democracy in social change, was also held without a permit.
While being investigated for the incidents, Wham also refused to sign his police statements.
“Wham is recalcitrant and has repeatedly shown blatant disregard for the law, especially with regard to organising or participating in illegal public assemblies,” the police said in a press release.
In December 2015, Wham failed in his bid to quash his police warning he received for breaching the conditions set for a vigil in Hong Lim Park in October 2014. He was ordered to pay costs to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
The police pointed to The Speakers’ Corner as an “established space” for Singaporeans to organise public assemblies and air their views “in accordance with the rules”.
If convicted of organising a public assembly without a police permit, Wham could be fined up to $5,000 on his first offence. Repeat offenders face a jail term of up to six months and/or a maximum fine of $10,000.
If convicted on refusing to sign his police statements, Wham could be jailed up to three months and/or fined up to $2,500.
Related:
