Han Hui Hui wants NParks to lift ban on planned protest

SINGAPORE - Blogger Han Hui Hui has asked her lawyer to issue a letter to the National Parks Board (NParks) to request for them to lift a ban on her protest scheduled to take place this Saturday, The Straits Times reported on Thursday.

This comes after NParks had cancelled approvals for Han's Hong Lim Park event where she requested to speak and demonstrate at Speakers Corner on Oct 25.

On Tuesday, NParks said in a joint statement with the Singapore Police Force that Ms Han had made two applications to use Speakers Corner on Oct 25. The first application was made on Sept 28 this year, and the second on Oct 19.

Both applications were made for the purpose of speaking and demonstrating at the Speakers' Corner on Oct 25.

According to The Straits Times, the police had advised NParks to cancel the approval because Ms Han was one of the people being investigated for the Sep 27 protest.

Ms Han, a 22-year-old blogger and activist, had led several hundred people along with 33-year-old blogger Roy Ngerng on a Sep 27 protest at Hong Lim Park. During that time, a YMCA charity carnival was being held and they had frightened some special needs children who were performing on stage.

Earlier in the month, it was reported that Ms Han had been questioned by police officers for seven hours over the protest.

On Monday, Ngerng said in a Facebook post that he had been asked to turn up at a police station "to be investigated for illegal assembly".

Ms Han's lawyer, M Ravi, said in the letter on Thursday that the cancellation of the permits by NParks leads to "a breach of (Ms Han's) rights of freedom of speech and assembly", according to The Straits Times.

The Straits Times added that Ms Han is requesting for the ban to be lifted before 4pm on Friday, otherwise, she reserves the right to take legal action.

stephluo@sph.com.sg

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