Second woman accused of organising procession outside Istana granted permission to go overseas

SINGAPORE – A second woman, also accused of organising a procession without a permit outside the Istana, has been granted permission to go overseas for leisure.

On Dec 4, District Judge Brenda Tan approved Annamalai Kokila Parvathi’s application to leave Singapore for Chennai in India from Dec 12, 2024 to Jan 9, 2025, to visit her mother.

An additional bail of $8,000 was imposed as part of her conditions. Annamalai, 36 was initially out on bail of $5,000.

On Dec 3, the court

granted Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori’s application

to leave Singapore and go overseas for leisure. Judge Tan had approved Siti’s application to go Batam from Dec 5 to 7.

Siti, 29, and Annamalai were part of a group of

Singaporean women who were charged in June

as they were allegedly involved in organising the unlawful procession along the perimeter of the Istana – a prohibited area – on Feb 2.

They had purportedly organised the event to show their support for the Palestinian cause.

Annamalai was charged with one count of abetting others to organise a public procession in a prohibited area, while Siti and Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, 25, were each charged with one count of organising a public procession there.

These are offences under the Public Order Act, and the trio’s pre-trial conferences will be held on Jan 13, 2025.

In an earlier statement, the police said that a group of about 70 people had gathered outside a shopping mall in Orchard Road in February before walking to the Istana while holding open umbrellas with a watermelon graphic.

According to the statement, Annamalai was previously issued a stern warning on Dec 5, 2017, and a 24-month conditional warning on Nov 30, 2021, for her involvement in other public assemblies without a permit.

The police also said then that the public should not engage in activities that will damage the peace, public order and social harmony in Singapore, adding: “We understand that some people may feel strongly about the Israel-Hamas conflict, but they should not break the law to express their views, nor emulate the protesters in other countries.

“They could instead participate in the many forums and dialogues, and donation drives, which have been appropriately organised on the issue.”

An offender convicted of organising an unlawful procession can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both.