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What to do if you are hauled up for police interview

Published

10 years ago

on

cantonment police complex
By Teo Soh Lung, a retired lawyer and ISA detainee
In view of the police interview which Han Hui Hui was subjected to last night, here are some quick notes just in case if you are being being hauled up to the police station.
Every activist is prone to being summoned to the police station, usually to answer questions relating to the commission of an alleged offence. It is pretty routine and there is nothing to fear.
Sometimes the police goes on a fishing trip hoping to catch someone through the statements collected from various people. Sometimes it is pure harassment.
An activist must be prepared for interviews at police stations. These are not to be taken lightly. There are a few basic things that he/she has to remember when summoned to answer about the commission of an alleged offence.
Letters to attend at police station
Letters from the police to attend an interview need not be physically delivered. They can be posted through ordinary snail mail. But often, the police have a lot of time in their hands and they may take a drive to your house.
But this must never be midnight or early hours of the morning. If they do that, it is harassment and an abuse of police power.
Never open doors at midnight. Call the police and your friends. If they continue to bang loudly, telephone your friends for help. They should video the police outside your door. Have a chat group so that one message goes out to the entire group.
It is possible to request for interviews to be conducted at a police station in your neighbourhood or near your home. If the appointment is not suitable, you can request for a change.
Interviews
Never attend an interview alone. Always bring a friend or two.
Your friend cannot be in the interview room but he can wait at the reception. If this is not possible, inform reliable friends to keep track of your attendance at the police station. Give them the particulars of police station and telephone number. If possible, the name of the officer-in-charge. Your friends should call the police station or officer regularly for updates.

  1. Keep your friends informed of developments, whether through telephone calls, facebook or messages.
  2. Wear comfortable warm clothing and shoes. If your interview is at the Cantonment Police Headquarters, it is very cold. You can request the officer to turn up the air-conditioner if you cannot bear the cold.
  3. You are entitled to request for hot drinks and snacks if you are hungry. If your interview takes hours, you are also entitled to request for lunch and dinner.
  4. Take toilet breaks.
  5. Bring paper and pen to record the questions and answers. As most of you know, Han Hui Hui had her notebook (the paper notebook not the computer) taken away after the interview. The police have no power to retain your properties as you have not committed any offence.
  6. Request for a copy of your signed statement if you sign any statement. Often, the police will refuse to give this to you. In that case, you can refuse to sign the statement. There is no rule to say that statements given to the police must be signed.
  7. Han Hui Hui was questioned from 2 to 10 pm. Eight hours is a long time and a bad reflection of the standard of our police force. I suspect that there was no pressure from outside to compel the police to finish their work earlier. If friends and family members telephone the police or attend at the police station earlier, this long interview may have been avoided.
  8. Keep your answers short and never volunteer statements. If you have no knowledge, say so.

 

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Civil Society

Three women to contest charges over pro-Palestinian procession outside Istana

Three Singaporean women, charged under the Public Order Act for organizing a pro-Palestinian procession on 2 February, will contest their charges at trial, a court heard on 18 September. About 70 people participated in the February event, carrying watermelon-adorned umbrellas as a symbol of Palestinian resistance while delivering letters to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Published

18 hours ago

on

18 September 2024

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SINGAPORE: Three Singaporean women charged in connection with a pro-Palestinian procession to the Istana will contest their charges at trial, a court heard on Wednesday (18 September).

The defendants are Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 35, an activist with the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC); Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, 29, a social media influencer; and Mossamad Sobikun Nahar, 25, a community worker.

They were charged in June under the Public Order Act for organizing an unpermitted procession on 2 February.

During the court hearing on Wednesday, the trio, through their lawyer, indicated their intention to contest the charges and claim trial.

Siti Amirah and Mossamad are accused of organizing the procession that occurred between 2pm and 3pm along the perimeter of the Istana, a restricted area.

Kokila is charged with abetting the conspiracy by collaborating with Siti, Mossamad, Alysha Mohamed Rahmat Shah, Anystasha Mohamed Rahmat Shah, and other unnamed individuals to organize the event.

According to a previous police statement, around 70 people gathered outside a mall on Orchard Road at about 2pm on 2 February before marching towards the Istana.

They carried umbrellas painted with watermelon images, symbolizing support for Palestinians amidst the ongoing Israel- Palestinian conflict.

The watermelon, reflecting the colors of the Palestinian flag, has become a symbol of solidarity.

Social media posts indicate that participants of the Letters for Palestine event walked from Plaza Singapura to the Istana to deliver letters addressed to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The cases have been adjourned to October for pre-trial conferences.

If convicted under the Public Order Act, the women face a potential penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.

The police have reiterated their call for the public to avoid actions that could disrupt peace, public order, and social harmony in Singapore.

They advised that while strong feelings about the Israel-Hamas conflict are understandable, lawful means of expression, such as participating in organized forums, dialogues, and donation drives, are preferable to illegal protests.

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Cambodia

Cambodian union leader Chhim Sithar released, vows to continue fight for workers’ rights

Cambodian union leader Chhim Sithar was released after nearly two years in prison for her role in leading a strike at NagaWorld. She vowed to continue advocating for workers’ rights despite the challenges posed by authorities.

Published

2 days ago

on

17 September 2024

By

Chhim Sithar, a prominent Cambodian union leader, was released from prison on 16 September 2024 after serving nearly two years for leading a high-profile strike at the NagaWorld Hotel and Entertainment Complex in Phnom Penh.

Upon her release, Sithar pledged to continue advocating for better wages and working conditions for workers in Cambodia, particularly at the casino and hotel where the labor dispute began.

Sithar, leader of the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees, was sentenced in May 2023 to two years in prison for “inciting social chaos.”

She was initially detained in December 2021 after the strike against NagaWorld began, following the company’s dismissal of over 1,300 employees, many of them union members.

Cambodian authorities have claimed the strike is illegal, alleging foreign involvement in its organization.

“It is a mistake for those who think that putting people in prison can stop workers from protesting,” Sithar told Radio Free Asia.

She reiterated that workers in Cambodia have the legal right to organize and strike, and stated her commitment to continue the fight despite the challenges faced.

The ongoing strike has been met with a violent crackdown by Cambodian authorities. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court also sentenced eight other union members, though their sentences were suspended.

Sithar’s arrest and conviction were condemned by civil society groups, the U.S. State Department, and human rights organizations. Amnesty International noted that the union members were “prosecuted solely for exercising their basic rights.”

Sithar’s release was met with anticipation by supporters, who had planned to gather outside Prey Sar Prison in Phnom Penh.

However, authorities transferred her home before dawn, reportedly to avoid demonstrations.

According to Ou Tep Phallin, president of the Federation of Food and Service Workers of Cambodia, officials “fear the public’s attention,” indicating a broader governmental concern over public protests.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) also welcomed Sithar’s release but condemned her imprisonment, calling it a politically motivated effort to suppress union activism.

The organization’s Executive Director, Mary Aileen D. Bacalso, urged the Cambodian government to cease its repression of union leaders, saying, “No one should lose their freedom for exercising their fundamental rights, as Chhim Sithar did.”

FORUM-ASIA regards the case as the continued misuse of “incitement to commit a felony” by Cambodian authorities to suppress peaceful activism is a direct attack on unions and workers fighting for their fundamental rights, and further undermines Cambodia’s already restricted civic space.

NagaWorld, one of the most profitable gambling centres globally, is owned by a Hong Kong-based company with reported ties to Cambodian political elites, including family members of Senate President Hun Sen.

The labour dispute continues, with workers demanding wage increases and the reinstatement of employees dismissed during the pandemic.

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