Singapore activist fined for holding forum featuring Joshua Wong

A Singapore court fined a rights activist on Thursday after he organised a public conference where a Hong Kong pro-democracy leader spoke via Skype.

Activist Jolovan Wham, 39, was sentenced to a fine of S$2,000 for organising a public assembly without a permit. He was also fined S$1,200 for refusing to sign a statement that he gave to police.

The two-hour "Civil Disobedience and Social Movements" conference took place in November 2016 and involved a panel of activists critical of the Singapore government.

Joshua Wong, who was among the leaders of massive pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2014, spoke to the audience via Skype about the role of civil disobedience and democracy in building social movements.

Judge Kessler Soh told the court that Wham went ahead with the event "despite being informed that the event needed a permit".

Wham chose not to pay the fine, telling Kyodo News: "I don't wish to validate a system where even a harmless Skype call is criminalised. Singapore has to do better in respecting the democratic rights of its citizens."

His lawyer, Eugene Thuraisingam, immediately filed an appeal against the conviction to keep him out of jail.

According to the court's ruling, Wham would be jailed for 16 days unless the fines are paid.

The activist, who is also an advocate for migrant workers' rights, had described the 2016 gathering as "a harmless and straightforward discussion about social movements".

The multi-ethnic city state has strict laws regulating public assembly and bars foreigners from taking part in events dealing with a political cause.

Organising a public assembly without a permit in Singapore is punishable by a fine of up to S$5,000. Repeat offenders can be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed for a maximum of six months or both.

Singapore's laws have been subject to criticism by rights groups who say they severely limit freedom of speech and assembly.

The government has held the position that Singapore's laws and regulations were needed to maintain social order and harmony.

Wong called Wham's prosecution "an embarrassment and a terrible injustice".

"Jolovan has become a subject of injustice as a result," Wong said in a statement posted on his group Demosisto's social account.