In response to the Ministry of Home Affair’s recent statement against foreign entities supporting the Pink Dot rally, Human Rights Watch (HRW) have protested the Singapore government about infringing freedom of expression.
“Singapore’s demand that foreign companies stop sponsoring Pink Dot encourages corporations to discriminate against LGBT people,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW. “This is not only reprehensible toward LGBT people, but to corporations that have pledged to eliminate bias in their corporate practices.”
Corporate sponsors for this year’s Pink Dot had apparently doubled from last year, with the likes of Google, Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Apple, Facebook and more supporting the LGBT rally at Hong Lim Park. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) were not happy, stating that they will be taking steps to “make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence such events held at the Speakers’ Corner”.
Pink Dot organisers on the other hand affirm that their corporate sponsors are all registered and incorporated in Singapore.
“For all the LGBT Singaporeans and their allies that this movement has striven to help give a voice to and done its part to push the envelope in helping to create greater visibility of Singapore’s LGBT community, we have done all we can to ensure Pink Dot SG stays within the law,” they wrote in a statement.
HRW — who’ve repeatedly flagged Singapore’s poor record on human rights in the past — stated that MHA’s stance against the corporate sponsors encourages discrimination against LGBT people as well as threatens the fundamental rights of all Singaporeans.
“Such incitement to discrimination is a stain on the country’s reputation as a welcome home for international business,” Adams added.
HRW sent a letter to Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, with no immediate comment from the ministry, Reuters reported.
