K
Kanetsugu Naoe
Guest
Aug 3, 2011
6 appeal against conviction for illegal SDP assembly
By Selina Lum
SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan told the High Court that they had believed that that it was all right to go ahead with the assembly, based on a police press statement about a similar event held on May Day in 2008. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN
SIX members and supporters of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Wednesday appealed against their conviction and sentences for being part of an illegal assembly in Toa Payoh on National Day three years ago.
SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan told the High Court that they had believed that that it was all right to go ahead with the assembly, based on a police press statement about a similar event held on May Day in 2008.
The statement, which was published in a newspaper, said they had observed the May gathering and concluded that it was not an unlawful assembly.
The six who appealed on Wednesday were Chee, his sister Siok Chin, SDP assistant secretary-general John Tan Liang Joo, film-maker Seelan Palay, freelance software developer Chong Kai Xiong, and activist Yap Keng Ho.
They were fined between $900 and $1,000 in October last year after being found guilty of taking part in an assembly without a permit.
The assembly was held to publicise the party's 'Tak Boleh Tahan' (Malay for 'cannot take it') compaign against high ministerial salaries, the goods and services tax and the cost of living here. No permit had been applied for.
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times
6 appeal against conviction for illegal SDP assembly
By Selina Lum
SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan told the High Court that they had believed that that it was all right to go ahead with the assembly, based on a police press statement about a similar event held on May Day in 2008. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN
SIX members and supporters of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Wednesday appealed against their conviction and sentences for being part of an illegal assembly in Toa Payoh on National Day three years ago.
SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan told the High Court that they had believed that that it was all right to go ahead with the assembly, based on a police press statement about a similar event held on May Day in 2008.
The statement, which was published in a newspaper, said they had observed the May gathering and concluded that it was not an unlawful assembly.
The six who appealed on Wednesday were Chee, his sister Siok Chin, SDP assistant secretary-general John Tan Liang Joo, film-maker Seelan Palay, freelance software developer Chong Kai Xiong, and activist Yap Keng Ho.
They were fined between $900 and $1,000 in October last year after being found guilty of taking part in an assembly without a permit.
The assembly was held to publicise the party's 'Tak Boleh Tahan' (Malay for 'cannot take it') compaign against high ministerial salaries, the goods and services tax and the cost of living here. No permit had been applied for.
Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times
