Oneman protest action results in charges
SINGAPORE: Singapore is set to charge an activist with staging a oneman protest without a permit over an incident in which he held up a sign bearing a crudely drawn smiley face outside a police station.
Police have told Jolovan Wham (40), who has had several runins with authorities in the citystate, which tightly controls public assembly, the media and free speech, he will be formally charged in court on Monday.
The charge relates to a March incident in which Wham demonstrated his support for a young climate activist who said he had been questioned by police over a similar protest days previous. Wham posted a picture of himself holding the sign on his social media accounts.
The civil rights campaigner, who has already served two brief stints in jail this year, will be charged under the Public Order Act, which regulates assemblies and processions in public places, according to the charge sheet Wham posted on Twitter.
He faces a fine of up to $S5000 ($NZ5374). Singapore police confirmed Wham had been notified of charges but did not immediately have further comment. — Reuters