A court in Singapore has acquitted three women who organized a walk to the presidential office to show support for the Palestinian cause.
The women were prosecuted for organizing an illegal procession. But a judge ruled their actions did not meet the full charge.
One of the women told the BBC she felt that the unexpected acquittal would 'give a new sense of energy and hope' to activists in Singapore.
Public demonstrations are uncommon in Singapore, which has very strict rules against protests and requires a police permit for any gathering promoting a cause. Authorities have also effectively banned public gatherings related to the Israel-Gaza war.
Any permit applications for public assemblies related to the Israel-Gaza war would be turned down because of the 'real risk that such events could give rise to public disorder,' as the war was a sensitive topic, authorities have said.
Singapore's government has argued that rules on demonstrations are necessary to maintain peace and harmony in the tiny country. Critics say that these rules stifle freedom of expression and civil activism.
The latest case centred on an event organized in February 2024 by community organizer Mossammad Sobikun Nahar and content creator Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori. They were assisted by community organizer Kokila Annamalai.
About 70 people showed up to take part in the walk from a shopping mall to the presidential office, known as the Istana.
Pictures of the event posted online showed the participants carrying umbrellas painted to look like watermelons, a symbol associated with the Palestinian cause.
Prosecutors later charged the three women for organizing a procession without a permit in a prohibited area.
During their trial, the defense argued that the women had not known that their route on the perimeter of the Istana was in a prohibited area as they had travelled along public roads.
While the judge ruled that the women had indeed organized a procession, they also would 'not have any inkling that using that route would be illegal or prohibited.'
He noted they had used a public pavement and there were no signs indicating it was a prohibited area.
'It is clear from the evidence that the three of them were trying their level best not to run afoul of the law,' he said.
If they had been convicted, each of the women could have been fined up to S$10,000 (£5,760; US$7,705), or jailed for up to six months, or received both penalties.
The trial drew attention in Singapore, with pictures of the three women dressing in the colors of the Palestinian flag and keffiyeh scarves for their court appearances going viral online. Ms. Annamalai told the BBC that the women deliberately chose their outfits to send a statement and 'show our defiance and solidarity.'
Local media reports on Tuesday said there were 'loud gasps' when the verdict was read out in the courtroom packed with the women's supporters.
Ms. Annamalai expressed her surprise at the acquittal, stating, 'But it is also difficult to feel celebratory about it because we shouldn't have been charged in first place.'
Concerned about their far-reaching implications, Singapore's prosecutorial office announced it would file an appeal.
In its handling of protests, Singapore's government has consistently supported a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, indicating they would recognize Palestinian statehood contingent upon the establishment of an effective government that accepts Israel's right to exist.
