Singaporean woman charged with organising procession outside Istana a flight risk: Prosecutor

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean woman who was charged earlier over organising a procession without a permit outside the Istana is a moderate flight risk, the prosecution said on July 1 during an application for her to leave the jurisdiction.

Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 35, who had allegedly organised the procession in February with two others to show support for the Palestinian cause, is currently on $5,000 bail.

She applied for permission to go to Kerala, India, and her lawyer, Mr Derek Wong, told the court on July 1 that his client would like to visit her grandparents there.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sunil Nair said Annamalai did not demonstrate the urgency of the travel, but that the prosecution was not rejecting the application because the travel booking was made before the charges were tendered.

He asked for additional bail of $10,000, saying that a higher bail amount was sought as Annamalai was assessed to be of moderate flight risk, without adding details.

District Judge Lorraine Ho granted the application for Annamalai to leave the jurisdiction, imposing several additional conditions, including the additional bail of $10,000.

Annamalai must furnish her complete travel itinerary before departure to the investigating officer and must surrender her passport within 24 hours upon returning.

She was charged on June 27 with one count of abetment of organising a public procession in a prohibited area under the Public Order Act.

In relation to the case, the police, in a statement on the same day, said that a group of about 70 people had gathered on Feb 2 outside a shopping mall in Orchard Road before walking as a group to the Istana while holding open umbrellas that were painted with a watermelon graphic.

The group did not have a permit to carry out the procession, the police said, adding that investigations into others who may have been involved in the same event were ongoing.

Two others – Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, 25, Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, 29 – were also charged on June 27 for alleged offences under the Public Order Act.

In their statement, the police said Annamalai was previously issued a stern warning on Dec 5, 2017, and a 24-month conditional warning on Nov 30, 2021, for her involvement in other public assemblies without a permit.

The next court date for Annamalai and Mossammad is Aug 8, while Amirah’s next court date is July 25.