Misplaced Pages

Human rights in Singapore: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 13:54, 11 July 2014 edit202.156.150.124 (talk) Undid revision 616523845 by Zhanzhao (talk)← Previous edit Revision as of 14:05, 11 July 2014 edit undoZhanzhao (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users5,617 edits Undid revision 616524714 by 202.156.150.124 (talk) Please read up on WP:MOS, especially WP:LABEL to understand why the line is being removed. Please start a discussion in TALK if youNext edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Politics of Singapore}} {{Politics of Singapore}}
Human Rights in Singapore are abysmal. The government in Singapore has broad powers to limit citizens' rights and to inhibit political opposition.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/eap/136008.htm | title=2009 Human Rights Report: Singapore | publisher=U.S. Department of State | date=March 11, 2010 | accessdate=March 15, 2014}}</ref> In 2014, Singapore was ranked 150th out of 175 nations by ] in the ]. ] ranked Singapore 4 out of 7 for political freedom, and 4 out of 7 for civil liberties (where 1 is the most free), with an overall ranking of "partly free". The government in Singapore has broad powers to limit citizens' rights and to inhibit political opposition.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/eap/136008.htm | title=2009 Human Rights Report: Singapore | publisher=U.S. Department of State | date=March 11, 2010 | accessdate=March 15, 2014}}</ref> In 2014, Singapore was ranked 150th out of 175 nations by ] in the ]. ] ranked Singapore 4 out of 7 for political freedom, and 4 out of 7 for civil liberties (where 1 is the most free), with an overall ranking of "partly free".


== Internal Security Act== == Internal Security Act==

Revision as of 14:05, 11 July 2014

This article is part of a series on
Politics of Singapore
Constitution
Legislature


Executive
Judiciary

Elections
flag Singapore portal

The government in Singapore has broad powers to limit citizens' rights and to inhibit political opposition. In 2014, Singapore was ranked 150th out of 175 nations by Reporters Without Borders in the Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Freedom in the World 2014 ranked Singapore 4 out of 7 for political freedom, and 4 out of 7 for civil liberties (where 1 is the most free), with an overall ranking of "partly free".

Internal Security Act

Main article: Internal Security Act (Singapore)

The Ministry of Home Affairs Internal Security Department enforces the country's Internal Security Act (ISA) as a counter to potential espionage, international terrorism, threats to racial and religious harmony, and subversion. The ISA permits indefinite detention without formal charges or recourse to trial, and has been used to imprison political opponents, including Chia Thye Poh, who was held for 32 years without trial before being released. As of 2005, 36 men were being held under the ISA.

Human rights under domestic law

Right to life, capital punishment

Main article: Capital punishment in Singapore

Singapore enforces the death penalty by hanging and has, according to Amnesty International, one of the world's highest execution rates relative to its population. The government has contested Amnesty's claims, and denies that its use of the death penalty constitutes a violation of human rights. Singapore is against euthanasia, and mercy killing is not legalized.

In Singapore the death penalty is mandatory for first-degree murder and for the possession of more than 15g of heroin in its pure form (dia-morphine), which is deemed to be evidence of trafficking. Amnesty International, which opposes all capital punishment on principle, notes that some 400 criminals were hanged between 1991 and 2003, for a population of 5 million.

The government states that drug-trafficking is one of the most serious crimes, because Singapore is particularly vulnerable to the drug menace due to its small size and location near the Golden Triangle. The government also states that Singapore does not mete out the death penalty lightly and uses it only in the most serious cases. The government claims that, as a result of its strict policies, Singapore has among the lowest prevalence of drug abuse across a range of hard and soft drugs.

Freedom of expression and association

The government has restricted freedom of speech and freedom of the press and has limited other civil and political rights. Censorship of sexual, political and racially or religiously sensitive content is extensive.

In Singapore, under the Public Order Act 2009, outdoor public processions or assemblies require police permits. Without police permits, such outdoor assemblies are illegal. Indoor assemblies, however, can be held freely without the need to apply for police permits. The only place in Singapore where outdoor public assemblies do not require police permits is at the Speakers' Corner which is modelled on Hyde Park, London. However, one must still register one's personal details with the National Parks Board online before speaking or protesting at the Speakers' corner, and there are also many CCTVs in the park, a situation that had some Singaporeans and Singaporean MPs complaining.

Government pressure to conform has resulted in the practice of self-censorship by journalists. According to Amnesty International, in 2010 laws were tightened to limit the freedom of expression and assembly, and used to threaten critics and opposition activists. Lawsuits were taken out by the authorities against dissidents. Government critics and human rights defenders nevertheless held public gatherings.

A British journalist, Alan Shadrake, was convicted in Singapore in 2010 of contempt of court for scandalising the Singapore judicial system, through his published views on the country's criminal justice system, sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and a fine of $20,000.

National Service

Main article: Conscription in Singapore

All male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 are to enroll for national service. They serve a 22- or 24-month period as Full Time National Servicemen (NSFs), either in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF), or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Social Issues

Homosexuality

Main article: LGBT rights in Singapore

Singapore law dating from 1938 (Penal Code, s. 377A) bans sexual relations between men, but no prosecutions for private sexual activity have taken place since 1999. Since May 2009 rally at Speaker's Corner, gay rights supporters have participated in the annual Pink Dot SG rally at the Speakers’ Corner, Hong Lim Park without government interference. The 2009 event was deemed significant enough to be included in the U.S. Department of State's human rights reports for 2009, released on 11 March 2010.

Migrant workers

According to Amnesty International one quarter of Singapore's population were migrants at the end of 2009.

The Employment of Foreign Workers Act excludes domestic workers (2009). Singapore does not provide basic protection for foreign domestic workers, such as a standard number of working hours and rest days, minimum wage and access to employment benefits. The recruitment fees of domestic workers can be up to 40% of the workers salary in a two-year contract. Until end of 2010 Singapore government have refused to regulate the recruitment fees.

In 2010 two migrants from Burma, after 11 years' work in Singapore, did not receive new work permits, following their active support for Burma's pro-democracy movement.

Human trafficking

The US Trafficking in Persons 2009 report listed Singapore on Tier 2: countries not doing enough to address human trafficking. Women are trafficked to Singapore for domestic work and commercial sexual exploitation.

Legislation

Corporal punishment

Main article: Caning in Singapore

Singapore also employs corporal punishment in the form of severe caning on the bare buttocks for numerous criminal offences if committed by males under 50, and this is a mandatory sentence for some 30 offences. Some international observers, including Amnesty International, maintain that corporal punishment is in itself contrary to human rights, but this is disputed. Caning is never ordered on its own in Singapore, only in combination with imprisonment. There is mandatory caning of at least three strokes, combined with a minimum of three months' imprisonment, for foreign workers who overstay by more than 3 months. The government argues that this is necessary to deter would-be immigration offenders, as Singapore remains an attractive destination for illegal immigrants; experience prior to 1989 had shown that imprisonment was not alone a sufficient deterrent. It feels that long-term overstayers who are not able to work legitimately pose social problems and may turn to crime.

Corporal punishment may also be ordered for various sexual offences, rioting, the possession of weapons, violence of all kinds, illicit drug use, and vandalism of public property. Male members of the armed forces are liable to a less severe form of caning for breaches of military discipline.

Internment without trial has been used to deal with espionage, terrorism, organized crime, and narcotics.

International agreements

According to Amnesty International, Singapore has signed the following international agreements relating to human rights:

As of 2010, Singapore has not signed the following agreements:

International rankings

Main article: International rankings of Singapore
 International rankings of Singapore
Political Rankings
Organization Survey Ranking
Freedom House Civil and political liberties Partly Free
Freedom House Press freedom Not Free
Reporters Without Borders Press freedom 133rd out of 175
The Economist Level of democracy 82nd out of 167 (Hybrid regime)
Transparency International Perceived level of corruption 5th out of 182
Privacy International and Electronic Privacy Information Center Privacy from corporative and government surveillance "Endemic surveillance society" status
Economic Rankings
Organization Survey Ranking
International Monetary Fund GDP (nominal) per capita 23rd out of 180
International Monetary Fund GDP (PPP) per capita 5th out of 181
International Monetary Fund Amount of foreign exchange reserves 9th out of 156
United Nations GINI coefficient Gini Coefficient of 42.5 (High income inequality country)
World Bank Ease of Doing Business 1st out of 183
World Economic Forum Ease of conducting Trade 1st out of 118
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness 3rd out of 133
Social Rankings
United Nations Human Development Index 23rd in the world ("Developed country" status)
The Economist Quality of life 11th out of 111
United Nations Population density 3rd out of 239
The Economist Cost of Living 11th out of 111
United Nations Number of immigrants 7th out of 192 (42.6% of Singapore's population are foreigners)
International Energy Agency Carbon dioxide emissions per capita 23rd out of 210
Center for Strategic and International Studies Number of troops 62nd out of 166
United Nations Fertility rate 221st out of 223

See also

References

Library resources about
Human rights in Singapore
  • This image is available from the United States Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division under the digital ID {{{id}}}
    This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Misplaced Pages:Copyrights for more information.
  1. "2009 Human Rights Report: Singapore". U.S. Department of State. March 11, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  2. ^ "Amnesty International Report 2005: Singapore". Amnesty International. 2005. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  3. "Singapore: Country Specific Information". Department of State. September 5, 2013. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  4. "Singapore: The death penalty: A hidden toll of executions". Amnesty International USA. Undated. Retrieved March 15, 2014. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. "The Singapore Government's Response To Amnesty International's Report "Singapore – The Death Penalty: A Hidden Toll Of Executions"" (Press release). Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore. January 30, 2004. Retrieved 22 April 2010..
  6. "Singapore to toughen protest laws ahead of APEC meet". Reuters. 17 January 2009.
  7. "Activist filmmaker under investigation for organising event" (Press release). International Freedom of Expression Exchange. 17 October 2011.
  8. "Singaporeans can demonstrate at Speakers' Corner from Sep 1". Channel News Asia. Singapore. 25 August 2008.
  9. "CCTV installed at Speakers' Corner". Channel News Asia. Singapore. 25 July 2008.
  10. "the Singapore profile, the Library of Congress Country Studies project (PDF)" (PDF). the Library of Congress. May 2005. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  11. ^ "Amnesty International Report 2010 (PDF)" (PDF). Amnesty International. p. 233. Retrieved March 15, 2014. Cite error: The named reference "Amnesty2010" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  12. "Amnesty International Report 2011 (PDF)" (PDF). Amnesty International. pp. 287–288. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  13. ^ HRW 2010 pages 343-346 Cite error: The named reference "HRW2010" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  14. "Human Rights Reports for 2009 (PDF)" (PDF). Department of State. March 11, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  15. "Amnesty International Report 2009, the State of the World's Human Rights (PDF)" (PDF). Amnesty International. pp. 289–290. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  16. "World Report 2011 (PDF)" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. p. 368. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  17. "Written Answer to Parliament Question on Mandatory Caning of Foreign Workers Who Overstay". Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs. May 26, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  18. "Amnesty International Report 2009, The State of the World's Human Rights (PDF)" (PDF). pp. 380–381. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  19. "Amnesty International 2011 Full Report, the State of the World's Human Rights (PDF)" (PDF). Amnesty International. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
Singapore articles
History
Geography
Politics
Economy
Society
Culture
Symbols
Human rights in Asia
Sovereign states
States with
limited recognition
Dependencies and
other territories
Category: