Six charged over participation in unlawful assemblies at Changi Prison, State Courts

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(From left) Kirsten Han Li Ying, Jeanne-Marie Ten Leu Jiun, Lim Kay Siu, Winifred Neo Swee Lin, Annamalai Kokila Parvathi and Howe Wen Khong Rocky will have their cases heard in court again on Oct 20.

(From left) Kirsten Han Li Ying, Jeanne-Marie Ten Leu Jiun, Lim Kay Siu, Winifred Neo Swee Lin, Annamalai Kokila Parvathi and Howe Wen Khong Rocky will have their cases heard in court again on Oct 20.

ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG

SINGAPORE – Six individuals were hauled to court on Sept 28 and handed charges over their alleged participation in unlawful public assemblies and processions.

Several of them were previously investigated for similar offences.

The six are: Howe Wen Khong Rocky, 31; Ten Leu Jiun Jeanne-Marie, 56; Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 38; Lim Kay Siu, 70; Winifred Neo Swee Lin, 63 and Han Li Ying Kirsten, 37.

Howe was handed four charges of participating in a public assembly without a permit.

He is accused of participating in candlelight vigils near Changi Prison, which were held without a permit on Nov 22 and Nov 29, 2024 and Jan 23, 2025.

He also allegedly took part in an assembly publicising the cause of abolishing capital punishment in Singapore on Feb 3, 2025. at 1 Havelock Road, where the State Courts is located.

Howe previously received a stern warning for similar offences committed in March and April 2022, and for obstruction of justice in March 2022, the police said in a statement.

Ten faces two charges for allegedly taking part in public assemblies without a permit on Nov 22 and Nov 29, 2024, near Changi Prison.

She was previously issued a stern warning on Sept 18, 2026, over a public assembly held outside the State Courts on Feb 3, 2025.

Lim, an actor, is accused of taking part in the same assembly outside the State Courts on Feb 3, 2025. Neo – who is married to Lim – and Han are facing the same charge.

In a Sept 27 statement, the police said that Han was previously given penalties including stern warnings and a 12-month conditional warning over a number of offences.

These were for taking part in a public procession at the Ministry of Home Affairs in June 2024, her involvement in public assemblies without a permit in July 2017, March 2022 and April 2022, and for obstruction of justice in March 2022 and April 2022.

Annamalai was handed one charge for her alleged participation in the Feb 3, 2025 assembly outside the State Courts.

She is already facing a separate charge for failing to comply with a correction direction on Oct 6, 2024. This case is set to go to trial on Oct 7.

Annamalai was previously handed a $3,000 fine and issued a 24-month conditional warning for organising public processions to the Istana without a permit in June 2017 and January 2021, as well as on Feb 2, 2024.

Lawyer Derek Wong, who appeared on behalf of five of the six, sought an adjournment of four weeks.

He asked for his clients to be released without bail, saying they are facing offences that carry fines. The lawyer sought a personal bond for them instead.

Howe, who was unrepresented, also asked for a personal bond instead of bail.

All six had their requests denied by District Judge Wong Peck, who set bail at $5,000 for each of them.

Those found guilty of organising or participating in such public assemblies without a proper permit can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to six months.

All six will have their cases heard in court again on Oct 20.