Civil Society
Singapore urged to end restrictions on Transformative Justice Collective
Eleven organisations have jointly condemned the Singapore government’s restrictions on the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), urging the cessation of measures under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act. They allege these actions stifle freedom of expression and suppress anti-death penalty advocacy.

On 16 January 2025, eleven organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, issued a joint statement condemning the Singapore government’s recent measures against the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC).
The groups allege that these actions violate fundamental rights to freedom of expression and create a climate of fear among human rights defenders. TJC has been at the forefront of opposition to the death penalty and broader human rights advocacy in Singapore.
The controversy centres on an order issued on 20 December 2024 under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA). The order classified TJC’s website and social media accounts as “Declared Online Locations” (DOLs), citing their communication of multiple falsehoods.
This designation requires TJC to display notices on its platforms warning viewers about alleged misinformation. Furthermore, the directive prohibits TJC from receiving financial or material support through its online platforms. These restrictions will remain in place until December 2026, severely impacting the organisation’s ability to function.
The government has defended these measures as necessary to combat the spread of falsehoods, especially regarding sensitive issues such as the death penalty. However, critics, including the eleven co-signing organisations, argue that the orders disproportionately restrict TJC’s ability to engage in legitimate advocacy and suppress public discourse on human rights concerns in Singapore.
POFMA as a tool of repression
The statement highlighted that the 20 December order is the latest in a series of POFMA directives targeting TJC. Since July 2024, seven POFMA orders have been issued against the collective or its activists, all related to anti-death penalty content.
In October 2024, the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, of which TJC is a member, was similarly targeted. Other entities critical of POFMA orders, such as The Online Citizen, have also faced restrictions, further fuelling concerns about the law’s scope.
The co-signing organisations argue that these actions are disproportionate and designed to deter human rights activism. They call for international human rights standards to be upheld, stating that restrictions on freedom of expression should be narrowly defined, necessary, and proportional to legitimate aims. POFMA, they assert, fails these tests and instead grants authorities unchecked powers to silence dissent.
Broader implications and demands
The restrictions come amid limited transparency surrounding the use of the death penalty in Singapore, where public gatherings and information dissemination are already tightly controlled.
The signatories stressed that these measures are part of a broader strategy to suppress dissent and stifle debates on government policies, including capital punishment.
The joint statement calls on Singapore to revoke the POFMA orders against TJC and other critics, cease its campaign of intimidation against human rights defenders, and consider abolishing laws that unduly restrict freedom of expression.
The organisations reiterated the need for human rights defenders to operate without fear of reprisal, advocating for a more open and transparent approach to contentious policy debates.

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