UN to review Singapore’s human rights record on 6th May 2011

May 11, 2011: Singapore rejects six recommendations

Singapore’s human rights record will come up for review on 6th May 2011 at 9am-12pm (Singapore time 3pm-6pm) during the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Switzerland. There’ll be a live webcast during the proceedings here and here.

The Singapore Government, which has submitted it’s national report, will be represented by the Minister for Home Affairs & Minister for Law K. Shanmugam. They’ll face a panel from Spain, Bahrain and Djibouti. [Update: Mr Ong Keng Yong, Ambassador-at-Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), will lead an inter-agency delegation to represent Singapore at the review. – CNA, 3rd May 2011]

Several local NGOs and groups have made individual and/or joint submissions to the UN’s UPR: Singaporeans for Democracy; Think Centre; People Like Us; Maruah; Function 8; COSINGO, among others. Read the summary by Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Read also this submission by the International Harm Reduction Association which says human rights violations committed in the name of drug control are common in Singapore in it’s news release on the submission.

Read the chapter on Singapore from Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2011.