Response by the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Home Affairs to the Open Letter from the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and the International Commission of Jurists

1.   We refer to the open letter dated 27 October 2022 from the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (“ IBAHRI ”) and the International Commission of Jurists (“ ICJ ”), in reply to our responses dated 8 September 2022 to earlier statements from the IBAHRI and the ICJ on the use of capital punishment and purported punitive cost orders on lawyers in Singapore.

2.   The open letter has ignored the contents of our earlier responses, which had set out the facts clearly. Instead, it repeats the same false statements alleged in August 2022, which our earlier responses had dealt with.

3.   The IBAHRI and the ICJ claim that they are available for constructive dialogue and engagement. However, the repetition of untrue allegations suggests that they are not serious about having a dialogue centred on facts. Their primary objective appears to be to berate Singapore, regardless of the facts.

Ministry of Law
Ministry of Home Affairs