3 women, 26, 30 & 37, acquitted of organising walk to Istana to support Palestinian cause

The three women who were previously charged under the Public Order Act for organising a procession to deliver letters to the Istana in support of the Palestinian cause have been acquitted on Oct. 21.

While the judge found that the prosecution proved that the trio had indeed organised the procession, they failed to prove that they ought reasonably to have known that the procession took place in a prohibited area.

No signs to indicate path was prohibited: Judge

On Feb. 2, 2024, three Singaporean women — Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, 26, Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, 30, and Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 37 — organised a procession to support the Palestinian cause.

After soliciting attendance online, a total of about 70 people, including the trio, assembled along Orchard Road outside a shopping mall at about 2pm.

They then walked towards the Istana with the intent of delivering letters addressed to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The three women were later charged for organising an assembly or procession without a permit along the perimeter of the Istana, which was a prohibited area.

In court on Oct. 21, District Judge John Ng ruled in favour of the women, according to CNA.

He found that the prosecution had indeed proved that Sobikun and Amirah had organised the procession with Annamalai assisting on Feb. 2.

However, he said that they failed to prove that the trio ought reasonably to have known that the path they took along the perimeter of the Istana was a prohibited area.

Ng explained that the area outside the Istana was a public area, and there were no signs to indicate that the public path was also a prohibited area.

He pointed out that there had been similar walks to deliver letters to the Istana's mailroom via its rear gate.

The judge also added that it was clear from the evidence that the trio were trying their "level best" not to run afoul of the law, even though their walk amounted to a procession.

According to CNA, the acquittal was met with jubilant reactions from those in the courtroom's public gallery.

Faced six months' jail and fine

The perimeter of the Istana is designated as a prohibited area under the Public Order (Prohibited Areas) Order 2009.

The same goes for the perimeter of the Parliament, Supreme Court and State Courts.

If convicted, the trio could have faced jail for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

Top image via Mothership