Singapore activist charged for one-man smiley face protest
Published on: Tuesday, November 24, 2020
By: AFP
Jolovan Wham is being charged for an offence under the Public Order Act for holding a placard with a smiley face outside a police station on March 28. (Reuters)
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean activist was charged Monday with staging an illegal one-man protest after he stood outside a police station holding a sign bearing a smiley face.The tightly controlled city-state has tough laws against dissent that make it illegal for even one person to hold a demonstration without a police permit.
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Jolovan Wham, who has had numerous run-ins with the authorities, posted a photo of himself on social media in March holding the cardboard sign with the roughly drawn face.
He said he took the photo to support a climate activist who was questioned by police for taking a picture in the same spot holding a sign that read: “SG is better than oil”. Wham, 40, was charged in court with taking part in a public assembly without a permit.
The activist posted a photo on social media of himself on his way to court wearing a t-shirt and a face mask with a smiley face printed on them.
“My guilt is plain for all to see,” he said.
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He was also charged for holding up a sign in 2018 outside court calling on the government to drop defamation charges against two men over an online article that alleged corruption among officials.
Wham faces a fine of up to Sg$5,000 (US$3,700) for each offence if he is found guilty, according to charge sheets.
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