Singapore Court Upholds Conviction of Opposition Leader Pritam Singh

Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has lost his appeal against a guilty verdict of lying to a parliamentary committee.

In February, Singh was fined S$14,000 ($10,800; £8,100) for two charges related to his handling of Raeesah Khan, a former lawmaker from his party who confessed to lying to parliament.

In a short hearing to a packed court public gallery on Friday, the judge stated that Singh's conviction was supported by the evidence presented during the trial.

Singh, who leads the largest opposition party, the Workers' Party, conveyed his disappointment over the decision but accepted it fully and without reservation. He paid his fines immediately following the hearing, telling reporters, Might as well get it done. Despite the conviction, Singh will continue to serve as a member of parliament.

The Workers' Party is currently the only opposition party in Singapore's parliament, holding 12 out of 99 seats.

What to Know About the Case

The saga began in 2021 when Khan claimed in parliament that she had witnessed police misconduct regarding a sexual assault victim. She later retracted her statement, admitting it was false, and stated that Singh and other party leaders had encouraged her to maintain the narrative despite knowing it was a lie.

Khan resigned from the party and parliament and was fined S$35,000 for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege. In February, the court ruled that Singh's actions indicated he did not intend for Khan to clarify her lie.

Throughout the trial, Singh maintained his innocence, arguing he wanted to provide Khan with the space to address a sensitive issue. His lawyer highlighted what they claimed were crucial pieces of evidence overlooked by the court. Nevertheless, the prosecution asserted that Singh's passive approach following the revelation of Khan’s lie suggested he did not plan for her to come clean.

This case marks one of the rare criminal convictions against a sitting opposition lawmaker in Singapore, raising alarms regarding the potential use of the judicial system to target political opponents.