Indian-origin woman among trio acquitted of organizing protest around presidential palace in Singapore

Indian-origin Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 37, and two other Singaporean women, each contested one charge under the Public Order Act of organising a procession publicising the cause of solidarity with Palestine on February 2, 2024, along the perimeter of the Istana — the presidential palace.

The women were part of a group of about 70 people who walked to the Istana’s rear gate to hand-deliver letters on the Palestinian cause to the Prime Minister’s Office, which is located in the presidential palace and had a mail drop-off point there, Channel News Asia reported.

District Judge John Ng said the prosecution failed to prove that the women ought reasonably to have known that the procession took place in a prohibited area.

This was because the area outside the Istana was a public area with no signs to indicate that the public path was a prohibited area.

Judge Ng said there had been several similar walks to deliver letters to the rear gate of the Istana, where the mailroom was located.

“They would not have any inkling that using that route would be illegal or prohibited,” said Judge Ng, finding that the women had “an honest and reasonable belief” that they were not in breach of the law.

Following the acquittal, Annamalai said this “is an incomplete victory” and that there is “a long road ahead to win our civil liberties as well as Palestine’s freedom”, according to the report.