- By Shivangi Sharma
- Wed, 18 Sep 2024 05:19 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Three Singaporean women, including one of Indian origin, facing charges related to a pro-Palestinian procession near the office of the President of the Republic of Singapore, have decided to contest their case in court, as reported on Wednesday. The women were charged in June under the Public Order Act for organising the procession without a permit on Feb 2.
Indian-origin Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 36, is charged with aiding the conspiracy by collaborating with Siti, Mossammad, and others, including Alysha and Anystasha Mohamed Rahmat Shah.
Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, 29, and Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, 25, are accused of coordinating the procession, which occurred in February around the restricted area of the Istana.
In a previous statement, the police reported that around 70 people gathered near a shopping mall on Orchard Road and marched towards the Istana, holding umbrellas painted with a watermelon symbol, which represents Palestinian resistance and solidarity.
The group had not obtained a permit for the procession, the police added.
The prosecution is ready to move forward with the trials for Mossammad and Annamalai, according to the court. However, investigations are ongoing in relation to an unrelated incident involving Amirah.
Annamalai faces one charge of abetting the organisation of a public procession in a restricted area, while Mossammad and Amirah are both charged with organising the procession in the same prohibited area. These charges fall under the Public Order Act.
Who is Annamalai Kokila Parvathi?
According to Parvathi’s blog, Kokila describes herself as an "independent writer, researcher, facilitator, and community organiser" based in Singapore.
She previously served as a Campaigns Manager for AWARE, a feminist rights group, and later played a key role in the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), an activist group advocating against the death penalty.
Her educational background includes studying at the National University of Singapore and Chinmaya International Residential School in Tamil Nadu, India.
