Uncategorized
US State Department on S’pore’s Human Rights record
Executive influence over the judiciary and self-censorship by journalists listed as infringements.
Excerpted from the US State Dept website. Released on the 25th of Feb 2009.
Singapore is a parliamentary republic in which the People’s Action Party (PAP), in power since 1959, overwhelmingly dominates politics. The population was approximately 4.6 million, with foreign workers accounting for nearly one fifth of the total. Opposition parties exist, and the May 2006 parliamentary elections were generally fair and free of tampering; however, the PAP placed formidable obstacles in the path of political opponents. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.
The government has broad powers to limit citizens’ rights and to handicap political opposition, which it used. Caning is an allowable punishment for numerous offenses. The following human rights problems also were reported: preventive detention, executive influence over the judiciary, infringement of citizens’ privacy rights, restriction of speech and press freedom and the practice of self-censorship by journalists, restriction of freedoms of assembly and association, limited restriction of freedom of religion, and some trafficking in persons.
Read the full report here.

- Opinion1 week ago
Shanmugam’s call to avoid politicising Nee Soon’s kickback case exposes hypocrisy given his 2015 attack on WP
- Politics2 weeks ago
Shanmugam defends response in kickback scandal at Nee Soon Town Council
- Singapore2 weeks ago
SM Lee urges Singaporeans to embrace new citizens for national unity during Chinese New Year speech
- Singapore5 days ago
Former transport minister S. Iswaran placed on home detention scheme after serving part of jail term
- Singapore1 week ago
Healthcare worker’s death sparks public dispute between TTSH and Red Dot United’s Ravi Philemon
- Court Cases5 days ago
Ong Beng Seng diagnosed with bone marrow cancer amid ongoing charges linked to ex-minister S Iswaran
- Politics1 week ago
Foreign family members of candidates exempted from election participation rule in Singapore
- Parliament6 days ago
Indranee Rajah backtracks on claim divorcing applicants face no HDB rental hurdles