Kokila Annamalai to be charged over POFMA non-compliance amid free speech concerns

Singapore activist Kokila Annamalai is set to be charged on 23 April 2026 for failing to comply with a correction direction issued under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA).

According to a statement issued by POFMA office on 21 April, the charge stems from social media posts made in October 2024 concerning Singapore’s use of the death penalty, which authorities said contained false statements about legal processes.

If convicted, Annamalai faces a fine of up to S$20,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

On 2 and 3 October 2024, Annamalai published posts on Facebook and X discussing the death penalty.

Authorities later said the posts falsely claimed that “the government schedules and stays executions arbitrarily without regard for due legal process”.

They also alleged she stated that “the state does not bear the legal burden of providing a drug trafficking charge against the accused person”.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, these claims misrepresented Singapore’s legal framework governing executions and drug trafficking prosecutions.

Correction order and refusal to comply

On 5 October 2024, the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), an advocacy group opposing the death penalty, received its third POFMA correction direction.

Issued by Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam, the order addressed statements published by TJC on its website and across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.

Annamalai also received a similar correction direction for posts made between 4 and 5 October 2024.

Authorities said both TJC and Annamalai had shared misinformation about execution scheduling and legal procedures.

Annamalai refused to comply with the directive and is being investigated for that non-compliance.

In a public statement, Annamalai rejected the correction order, describing it as an overreach of ministerial authority.

She maintained that her posts reflected personal opinion rather than falsehoods, particularly in relation to the execution of Azwan bin Bohari.

“Policing my opinions is beyond the scope of POFMA,” she wrote. “It is a gross abuse of power to force those with an opposing view to discredit and humiliate ourselves.”

She added, “Shanmugam may have the power to issue POFMA orders, but I have the strength of my conviction.”

Her stance prompted a wave of support from activists and members of the public.

On 22 October 2024, a group of 33 individuals launched a solidarity campaign using the hashtag #idefypofma.

Participants reposted Annamalai’s original message, which had been subject to the correction direction, in what they described as an act of collective defiance.

Wider enforcement context

Annamalai is the second individual to face charges under POFMA.

Earlier, Jay Ish’haq Rajoo was charged with the more serious offence of communicating false statements of fact under the law.

The legislation, enacted in 2019, allows authorities to issue correction directions and other orders to address online content deemed false.

Concerns over the law’s scope have been raised by international organisations.

In October 2025, the Human Rights Foundation, a United States-based non-governmental organisation, urged Singapore to strengthen protections for fundamental freedoms.

The group called on authorities to end what it described as harassment of journalists, activists and opposition groups.

Its report stated that broad and restrictive laws continue to criminalise criticism of government officials.

POFMA was identified as a key mechanism in this framework.

The organisation said the law enables authorities to “stifle dissent and silence critics”, contributing to tighter control over public discourse.