Singapore Court Allows Indian-Origin Woman to Visit Kerala Amid Pro-Palestine Protest Charges

GG News Bureau
Singapore, 1st July. A Singapore court on Monday granted permission for Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, an Indian-origin Singaporean woman, to visit her grandparents in Kerala, India, despite facing charges for organizing a pro-Palestine procession without a permit.

Parvathi, 35, organized the procession in February with two others to show support for the Palestinian cause, an act that requires a mandatory permit under Singaporean law. She was charged on June 27 with abetment for organizing a public procession in a prohibited area under the Public Order Act and is currently out on bail of SGD 5,000.

District Judge Lorraine Ho approved Parvathi’s application to leave the country, subject to several additional conditions, including an increased bail amount of SGD 10,000. The Straits Times reported that the judge imposed these conditions to ensure compliance with legal requirements during her travel.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sunil Nair acknowledged that Parvathi did not demonstrate the urgency of her travel but noted that the prosecution did not oppose the application since the travel arrangements were made before the charges were filed. He cited a moderate flight risk as the reason for the higher bail amount, without providing further details.

Singapore maintains strict regulations on protests, particularly those advocating causes of other countries. Public demonstrations on international issues, such as the Gaza conflict, are prohibited. The city-state, which has a significant Muslim population and close ties with Israel, has been sensitive to the ongoing war in Gaza. Authorities have encouraged Singaporeans to engage in dialogues and donation drives rather than public protests.

Despite these restrictions, the Gaza conflict has sparked deep concern among Singaporeans, particularly the younger generation, who have been vocal about their views online and eager to express their opinions publicly.