Singapore

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to education in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Schools are not free at any level, and education is getting increasingly expensive
• Children who lack immigration or residency status, such as stateless or refugee children
• People with a low income cannot afford school tuition and fees, especially Malay people
• School dropouts
• Former prisoners or detainees

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to food in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Political activists and supporters or members of political organisations
• Migrant workers, due to low wages, food provided at work sometimes being expired, especially those from South Asia including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka
• Malay people who receive low wages or have a low socio-economic status
• People living below the poverty line and unemployed people
• Detainees in prison reportedly lack access to food

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to health in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Foreign workers, particularly construction workers
• People who are stateless, refugees, and asylum-seekers are refused health services
• Migrant workers, especially low wage workers, due to the state or their employer cancelling visas before paying for medical care or facing high medical bills without insurance, particularly those from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, or Myanmar
• Sometimes migrants are only allowed to use employer-approved medical providers that do not deliver adequate care or prescribe rest for injured workers
• Migrant domestic workers are not allowed to get pregnant, which leads to a lack of adequate medical care, reproductive health issues, and self-inflicted abortions
• Low wage earners, due to costly healthcare services, especially those from ethnic and racial minorities, people who are older, and people who are homeless
• People with a low income have little to no access to the more efficient private healthcare system
• People who are unemployed
• Members of the LGBTQIA+ community, children, people with disabilities, sex workers, and human rights defenders, due to stigma around mental health and lack of mental health services covered by insurance
• Detainees and convicted criminals

When asked to provide more context about who was particularly unlikely to enjoy their right to housing in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Migrant workers often live in low quality, overcrowded, and unsanitary conditions, including exposure to diseases, and are restricted in their ability to rent housing, especially those from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka
• Foreign workers and students often live in illegal overcrowded accommodations, due to their visas being tied to their employers who must provide them housing
• Members of minority races are discriminated against in housing and are unable to afford housing due to the Ethnic Integration Policy
• People with low social or economic status, due to being financially constrained from accessing public housing and state housing being old and of low-quality
• People who earn low wages, especially those belonging to ethnic or racial minorities
• Single people below the age of 35 cannot access public housing and subsidies
• Peaceful protesters in support of Palestine or against the death penalty and worker’s rights advocates, especially those advocating for migrant worker’s rights, occasionally have their homes raided by state forces

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to arbitrary or political arrest and detention by government agents in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Members of the 1987 ‘Marxist Conspiracy’ group
• People engaging in political activity or peaceful protests risk being prosecuted under the Public Order Act
• Activists, particularly those who focus on the death penalty, climate, change or freedom of expression, belief, or religion
• Human rights advocates, especially those engaged in non-violent actions, are labelled as suspected ‘terrorists’, investigated, questioned, and detained under the Internal Security Act, Public Order Act, and the Miscellaneous Offences Act
• Worker’s rights advocates, especially migrant worker’s rights, are detained for a while before charges are pressed against them
• People who peacefully protest or oppose the current government, especially members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people with health conditions, including mental health conditions
• Protesters and those who support them, particularly those who focus on the death penalty or support Palestine, spend time in detention before charges are pressed against them
• People who support Palestine
• People suspected of supporting violent behaviour and activity, especially conservative Muslims and Christians, particularly those labelled ‘extremist’ religious groups
• People suspected of terrorism are arrested under the Internal Security Act, especially Malay Muslim people
• Migrant workers, particularly those who have less education, low wages, or a low socio-economic status, are arrested and abused by state agents, particularly those with Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan nationalities
• Sex workers are arrested and abused by state agents, particularly those with Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan nationalities
• There are reports of young Singaporeans deemed ‘radical’ by the government being detained under the Internal Security Act
• The are reports of people being arrested and detained without trial due to considering joining groups that have committed violence outside Singapore
• People are not allowed to conscientiously object to mandatory National Service, especially Jehovah’s Witnesses who refuse to bear arms and risk being sentenced to spend the duration of their required service in military detention centres 

Expert respondents did not provide any specific information about who is especially vulnerable to violations of this right.

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to death penalty executions by government agents in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• There is a mandatory death penalty sentence for certain drug offences
• Migrants, Indians, Malaysians, and people with low social or economic status, especially those who possess, use, or traffic drugs
• Violent criminals, especially those charged with kidnapping, arms possession, or premeditated murder

Expert respondents did not provide any specific information about who is especially vulnerable to violations of this right.

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to restrictions on their rights to assembly and association by the government or its agents in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• Permits are required for gatherings; if a topic is approved then a protest is permitted but restricted to a small public park
• Anyone who engages in peaceful protests or political activity risk being investigated and prosecuted under the Public Order Act
• Anyone discussing topics deemed racially ‘sensitive’, including topics on the intersection of race and religion or race and politics such as the Israel-Palestine war
• People who are critical of the government or its policies, particularly academics, public intellectuals, political opposition parties and their supporters
• Political opposition members and their supporters
• Members of the Transformative Justice Collective group
• Political advocates and activists, especially those supporting Palestine, LGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights, environmental rights, religious minority rights, and those against the death penalty or socio-economic inequality
• Students who participate in protest activities are likely to be interrogated by the police
• Protests are limited or restricted, particularly those who focus on the Israel-Palestine war, the death penalty, worker’s rights, or democracy
• Members of non-governmental organisations
• Artists and public intellectuals
• Religious organisations, especially those who oppose the majority religious groups
• Migrants and foreigners are not allowed to participate in protests
• Minority ethnic groups, especially Malay or Indian people
• Military service is mandatory for young men
• Strikes require two weeks’ notice

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to restrictions on their rights to opinion and expression by government agents in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) of 2019 allows the government to restrict the use of the internet and social media, especially for those who criticise or share different information to the government
• Events and publications are subject to censorship, restrictions, or limitations
• People who are critical of the government or its policies face intimidation and censorship, particularly academics, public intellectuals, political opposition parties and their supporters
• People expressing opinions online which oppose the government, especially on social media
• Political opposition parties, members, and their supporters
• Members of the Transformative Justice Collective group
• Political advocates and activists, especially those supporting Palestine, LGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights, certain religious groups deemed ‘threatening’ by the government, environmental rights, and those against the death penalty or socio-economic inequality
• People who support Palestine or LGBTQIA+ rights
• Members of non-governmental organisations
• Minority ethnic groups, especially Malay or Indian people
• Low wage migrant workers
• Religious organisations, especially those who oppose the majority religious groups
• Art is subject to a licensing system, and some films are not allowed to receive a rating to be viewed by a mass audience, especially films about Palestine

When asked to provide more context about who was especially vulnerable to restrictions on their political participation by the government or its agents in 2024, our respondents mentioned all of the following:

• People who criticise or oppose the government are harassed, monitored, and threatened with the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), especially members of People’s Action Party (PAP) and People’s Association (PA), particularly before elections and during non-election campaigns
• All people, due to the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system, redistricting practices, and the costly nature of being politically active
• Members of political opposition parties, including leaders and supporters are heavily restricted in their right to participate in government
• Members of Youth for Peace
• Civil servants and government employees are not allowed to join political opposition parties or show support for them, but are allowed to join the ruling party and support them anytime
• Political advocates and activists, especially those supporting Palestine, LGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights, environmental rights, religious minority rights, and those against the death penalty or socio-economic inequality
• Advocates and activists who oppose the death penalty, promote democracy, or reject majority religious group practices
• Members of non-governmental organisations
• Anyone depending on government funding or contracts
• Religious organisations, especially those who oppose the majority religious groups
• Migrant workers can join unions and associations but cannot vote or hold office in the unions
• Migrant workers and foreigners with work permits are not allowed to participate in local politics
• Prisoners cannot vote while serving out their sentences
• Citizens who do not vote in the final presidential election are removed from the registrar of voters and must provide a legitimate reason for not voting or pay a fine of $50 in order to re-register to vote