Monthly Event Reports
February 2024 | Singapore enacts indefinite detention and expands police powers
On 5 February, Singapore’s parliament passed the Sentence for Enhanced Public Protection (SEPP) law, allowing for the indefinite detention of “dangerous offenders” beyond their completed sentences. The SEPP law applies to individuals above 21 years of age convicted of serious crimes like rape and homicide. Offenders will now require the approval of the Home Affairs Minister to determine if they are no longer a threat to the public in order to be released. Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said the decision to impose a normal versus SEPP sentence lies with the court in which the person is first convicted, with a review board consisting of retired judges and psychologists to aid in assessing each case at a later point. The law was passed with broad support from parliament; however, rights experts have raised concerns about the law violating due process rights and the potential for over-detention. Simultaneously, parliament passed the Criminal Procedures (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill on 5 February, granting police officers more powers to conduct searches without a warrant as well as force suspects to undergo a forensic medical examination, if relevant.
January 2024 | Minister charged in rare corruption case
On 18 January, Singapore’s Transport Minister S. Iswaran resigned as a minister and member of the People’s Action Party (PAP) after being charged with 27 offences related to corruption, obstruction of justice and taking bribes. The charges follow a year-long investigation led by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), which alleged that Iswaran received bribes worth more than hundreds of thousands of dollars from billionaire property tycoon Ong Beng Seng – who is also under investigation. Iswaran is the first sitting minister in Singapore to be charged with corruption in decades, as the country is rarely affected by graft scandals involving political leaders. Iswaran rejects the allegations and maintains his innocence amid the ongoing case.
September 2023 | Tharman Shanmugaratnam wins presidential election
Former Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and leader of the ruling People’s Action Party won a landslide victory in the presidential election held on 1 September, securing 70.4 per cent of the vote. Voter turnout for the presidential election was 93.55 per cent. Among the three candidates running, there were no female candidates for the largely ceremonial position. No election disputes were reported.
November 2022 | New law gives government another tool to control online content
On 9 November, Singapore passed legislation empowering authorities to order social media platforms to remove "egregious" content. This includes posts advocating sexual violence, terrorism, or content likely to incite racial or religious tensions. The new law is said to tighten current regulations of social media, whereby social media firms will face fines if they fail to comply. Human rights activists have expressed concern over the potential of the law being used by government to stifle freedom of expression online and repress dissent due to the vague nature of what is deemed “harmful content.”
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