Healing the Divide's founder, Iris Koh, 48, was handed five new charges on May 9.

Two charges were for instigating members from two Telegram groups to harass doctors at vaccination centres.

Another two were for instigating the members of the Telegram groups to voluntarily obstruct workers at the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

The last charge was for organising a public assembly to resist the government's Covid-19 vaccination programme without the required permit.

New charges

On Oct. 11, 2021, Koh allegedly instructed the members of two Telegram groups to voluntarily obstruct workers at MOH and MSF by asking them to "flood" their hotlines.

One group comprised 2,828 members and the other had 879 members.

Police had previously said they were investigating the matter, pointing out that these public hotlines were important channels for Singaporeans to seek help, and that a surge in needless and malicious calls will lengthen waiting times and frustrate genuine callers.

Koh advised them to demand for their calls to be escalated for follow-up by ministry staff.

On Nov. 25, 2021, Koh purportedly organised a public assembly near Bedok police headquarters to resist the government's Covid-19 vaccination programme.

She distributed shirts with the slogan "United We Stand for Choice – Healing the Divide" and encouraged members of her group to put on the shirts and take photographs with them.

On Dec. 27, 2021, Koh allegedly instigated the Telegram group members to harass doctors at vaccination centres.

She advised parents of young children to book a Covid-19 vaccination slot for their child, question the doctor about vaccination safety and ask the doctor for permission to record their answers.

She advised the members to report the doctor to the Singapore Medical Council if they declined.

One discharge, 14 charges remain

One of the charges Koh faced was discharged on May 9.

The charge was originally handed to her for allegedly conspiring with general practitioner Jipson Quah, 36, to make false representations to MOH that people were vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine when they in fact were not.

The Straits Times reported that it was a holding charge, which is served when the police wish to remand suspects for a longer duration before the completion of investigations.

Seven of her remaining 14 charges similarly relate to alleged false representations made to MOH involving Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

She and Quah allegedly made false representations with seven others to MOH, indicating that the seven people had been given the Sinopharm vaccine when they in fact had not.

They did so to obtain a certificate of vaccination against Covid-19.

Koh faces one count of fabricating evidence, for having allegedly instigated one person to be falsely certified to be of unsound mind, with the intention of causing the police to have the wrong impression of whether Quah had improperly administered Sinopharm vaccines to patients.

Koh has also been charged with obstructing a public servant. After a written statement was prepared for her to sign, Koh refused to sign it and instead tore it up on Jan. 25, 2022, at Police Cantonment Complex.

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Top photo via Ruth Chai and Iris Koh/Facebook