Ila Mitra’s Seelan “interviewed” (and released).
:: thanks to kid for pointing this out:
Activist, guitarist/vocalist and all around beautiful person, Seelan Pillai of Ila Mitra & the Lion City DIY collective, was reported as “arrested” on Wednesday, 13th September.
excerpts from singaporedemocrat.org
“Singaporean activist Mr Seelan Pillai has been arrested. The SDP can confirm that Mr Pillai, who started the 400 frowns campaign to counter the Government’s 4 million smiles project, is now under custody at the Clementi Police Station.”
read the full report: here
On further investigation upon the shocking news, I found this:
“Three Singaporeans who were planning to distribute anti-World Bank and IMF flyers at the Suntec City area have been detained and their computers seized. They are being investigated under the Printing and Processing Materials Act, which states that those in posession of materials that contain “any incitement to violence or counselling disobedience to the law” could be jailed up to 3 years, fined, or both.
Police have confiscated flyers that Chee Soon Juan and Chee Siok Chin were handing out at Raffles City Shopping Mall advertising the Empower Singaporeans Rally and March to be held at 11a.m. tomorrow, 16th September. If the rally is held as planned, things cannot end well. The police have indicated that they will not hesitate to take action.
Update: Seelan Pillai was one of the three activists mentioned in the second paragraph. Latest reports say they have been released.
read the rest here: i-speak.blogdrive.com
And:
“Acording to the SPF media release, in which it clarified that the three men including Seelan Pillay, had not been arrested, but had voluntarily agreed to be interviewed by the police, the alleged charge is said to be under s 151A of the Penal Code”
read the rest: kitana.wordpress.com
and here’s the report by Singapore Police:
Three Singaporean men providing statements
Police have interviewed three Singaporean men following a tip-off that some disturbances may be caused at the Suntec City Convention Centre.
As a security precaution, Police traced the identity of three men on receiving the information. They were contacted and asked to come to be interviewed by the Police. The three men, a Chinese National Serviceman in his late teens; a Sikh in his late 20s – a part-time tutor, and an Indian in his early 20s – a student, voluntarily agreed to provide their statements at Clementi Police Division yesterday evening (13 Sept 06). Some pamphlets concerning IMF-related issues, and some computer hardware have been seized for investigations. Police are investigating the offence under Sec 151A of the Penal Code Cap 224 – printing & possessing material which may incite violence or counsel disobedience to the law.
The 3 men had not been arrested. They left the station early this morning (14 Sept 06) after providing their statements.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
14 Sept 2006 @ 6.15pm
see the page: www.spf.gov.sg
so our friend is NOT arrested but actually went through a whole night of interrogation. Singapore O’ SIngapore! What a FINE city it is indeed.
As many of you people may have known, there’s a heightened security alert in Singapore at the moment due to the IMF/World Bank conference happening in the city. Known activists from around the world are being stopped and routinely interogated at all entrance points in the city state. Apparently the activists have planned a gathering in Pulau Batam instead!
Read more: here
