Death penalty exhibition rejected over ‘false and one-sided’ info, possible contempt of court: IMDA

The authorities did not allow an exhibition on the use of the death penalty in Singapore as it contained “false and one-sided information” that might mislead the public and undermine trust in public institutions.

In a statement on Oct 9, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said it had assessed that the Fighting For Life exhibition by activist group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) “exceeds what is allowable” under the Arts Entertainment Classification Code.

It had consulted the Ministry of Home Affairs in its decision, the two agencies said in a joint reply to queries from The Straits Times.

In their statement, the authorities said the Government recognises that people may hold differing views on issues. However, the exhibition was refused classification as it “contains materials that cast aspersions on the integrity of, and undermine public trust and confidence in public institutions involved in the administration of justice”.

They added that the exhibition may also result in an offence of contempt of court if allowed to take place as it featured content which impugns the impartiality of the Courts.

The Arts Entertainment Classification Code aims to reflect prevailing social norms and protect the young from unsuitable content, while enabling adults to make informed viewing choices. It also gives due consideration to the event’s artistic and educational merits, according to IMDA’s website.

The TJC had posted on Instagram on Oct 7 about the cancellation of the multimedia exhibition, which was meant to be a part of a larger series of events from Oct 10 to 20 titled Putting the Death Penalty on Trial.

The exhibition was meant to reflect on the history of the anti-death penalty movement in Singapore through photos, film and audio.

It would have incorporated the voices of those on death row, their families and their communities, and would have been held at the UltraSuperNew Gallery in Tyrwhitt Road, near Jalan Besar.

TJC said it had applied to IMDA for an arts entertainment licence on Aug 23, and met IMDA officials on Oct 3 when it was told of the authorities’ decision.

It added that it will continue with the rest of the events as planned.

In the joint statement on Oct 9, the authorities said the exhibition contained false allegations against the Government on the use of the death penalty in Singapore, including claims that the Government’s decision to maintain capital punishment in Singapore’s laws was made in bad faith.

They added that the exhibition also contained unsubstantiated allegations of physical abuse of prisoners by the Singapore Prisons Service (SPS), as well as prejudiced treatment of prisoners by the SPS, Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Courts.

“Together, the exhibits paint a misleading picture of the use of the death penalty in Singapore,” they said.

The authorities noted that the police had separately assessed one of the events in TJC’s line-up slated for Oct 10. The event, titled the Impact on Us: Living to Tell the Story, would involve the reading of statements from death row prisoners and their families, friends and lawyers, among others. It was meant to be the launch event for the overall series of events.

The police had found that one of the planned speakers is a foreigner.

“As such, the event is not exempted under the Public Order Act 2009 and will require a police permit to proceed, which the event organiser has not applied for,” they said.

On Oct 8, the police advised the event’s organiser on the need for a police permit if the event proceeds in its current form.

They also notified him of the 14-working-day timeline for processing, as indicated in the Public Order Regulations 2009, the authorities said.

TJC was previously issued three correction directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act.

The most recent one, issued on Oct 5, was related to statements it had made concerning the legal processes for prisoners awaiting capital punishment and the prosecution of drug trafficking charges faced by Mohammad Azwan Bohari.

Source: Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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