Singapore - February 2024

On 5 February, Singapore’s parliament passed the Sentence for Enhanced Public Protection (SEPP) law, allowing for the indefinite detention of “dangerous offenders” beyond their completed sentences. The SEPP law applies to individuals above 21 years of age convicted of serious crimes like rape and homicide. Offenders will now require the approval of the Home Affairs Minister to determine if they are no longer a threat to the public in order to be released. Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said the decision to impose a normal versus SEPP sentence lies with the court in which the person is first convicted, with a review board consisting of retired judges and psychologists to aid in assessing each case at a later point. The law was passed with broad support from parliament; however, rights experts have raised concerns about the law violating due process rights and the potential for over-detention. Simultaneously, parliament passed the Criminal Procedures (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill on 5 February, granting police officers more powers to conduct searches without a warrant as well as force suspects to undergo a forensic medical examination, if relevant.

Sources: Reuters, The Strait Times, Jurist, Channel News Asia