A/HRC/18/2
476. Conscience and Peace Tax International, noting that its submission had not been
reflected in the summary of stakeholder information in time for the review, stated that the
issues raised in its submission included the non-recognition of the right of conscientious
objection to military service and the repeated call-up of conscientious objectors. It
expressed the hope that these issues would feature in Singapore’s review during the second
cycle, and encouraged Singapore to address them in its national report for that cycle.
477. The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development urged Singapore to engage
with a broader range of actors from civil society in the follow-up process, and to review its
position on capital punishment and preventive detention, reiterating the recommendation
for a moratorium on the death penalty. It called on Singapore to repeal the Internal Security
Act, which impaired the right to due process and judicial protection. It also asserted that no
effort had been made to bring Singapore’s migrant labour regulation into line with
international standards. In this regard, it highlighted the recommendations to ratify the
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and
Members of Their Families and to amend some migrant labour acts. It urged the adoption
of a rights-based approach in considering minimum wage legislation.
478. The International Federation for Human Rights expressed disappointment at
Singapore’s rejection of 27 key recommendations, especially those relating to the
protection of civil and political rights. It recommended the decriminalization of defamation
and the reformation of laws, such as the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act, the Public
Order Act and the Undesirable Publications Act, so as to ensure their compliance with
international standards. It also recommended increased respect for fundamental freedoms in
practice, and greater tolerance for criticism and opposition. The Federation expressed regret
that Singapore had rejected recommendations on the abolition of the death penalty and
corporal punishment. It called on Singapore to repeal all provisions that provided for
mandatory death sentencing and to implement an immediate moratorium on the use of
capital punishment.
479. Amnesty International regretted Singapore’s rejection of recommendations to end
the use of mandatory death sentences, to impose a moratorium on the death penalty, and to
end judicial caning. It was disappointed that Singapore had not accepted recommendations
on preventive detention. It urged Singapore to repeal the Internal Security Act and to ensure
that criminal proceedings met international fair trial standards. Amnesty International
welcomed Singapore’s intention to consider ratification of the International Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and urged the ratification of other
human rights instruments, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights. It welcomed Singapore’s support for recommendations to protect migrant workers’
rights. While noting that recent measures provided better protection, Amnesty International
observed that migrant workers still faced difficulties and that labour laws continued to
exclude migrant domestic workers from basic protection.
4.
Concluding remarks of the State under review
480. The delegation expressed its appreciation to all participants in the dialogue, which
had generated valuable inputs that would help Singapore in its domestic efforts to
constantly review and adjust its policies where necessary. Singapore hoped that, at its next
universal periodic review in 2016, it would be able to show progress in some of the areas in
which further improvement was desirable.
Suriname
481. The review of Suriname was held on 6 May 2011 in conformity with all the relevant
provisions contained in Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, and was based on the
following documents:
GE.12-17756
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