Singapore: First Criminal Charges Under POFMA Against Government Critic

Last updated: 22 September 2026

The Singapore government must immediately drop all criminal charges against Jay Ish'haq Rajoo and repeal the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint statement on March 25, 2026. Rajoo is the first person to face criminal charges under the Act — an alarming escalation since the law came into force in October 2019.

The Charges Against Rajoo

On 11 March 2026, Rajoo, a vocal government critic who had amassed a significant following on TikTok for his commentary on public policy, was charged with three counts of communicating "false statements of fact" under Section 7 of POFMA. He was also charged with two counts of defamation against former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat, and one count of "promoting feelings of ill will between different racial groups" under the Penal Code.

If convicted, Rajoo faces fines of up to USD 39,300 and up to five years in prison under POFMA, with additional penalties under the defamation and racial harmony provisions. His prosecution follows a history of POFMA correction direction orders issued against him in 2023, 2024, and 2025 — each relating to TikTok videos in which he raised concerns about the use of the Central Provident Fund and alleged electoral discrimination.

POFMA: A Tool of Suppression

POFMA empowers Singapore ministers to issue correction direction orders requiring individuals to publish government "clarifications" alongside their original content. Individuals who fail to comply face fines or imprisonment. Human rights organisations have long criticised the law for granting the executive branch wide discretion to determine what constitutes a "false statement of fact", effectively allowing the government to police political speech.

Since 2019, POFMA orders have been issued against independent media outlets, opposition politicians, human rights organisations, and government critics. In November 2025, the website MalaysiaNow was blocked for allegedly violating POFMA after it covered the case of a Malaysian death row prisoner. The criminal charges against Rajoo represent the most severe use of the law to date.

POFMA is inherently incompatible with international law and standards on the right to freedom of expression, and its clear and sustained use to target critics, independent media and opposition figures underscores the need for the Singapore government to end its selective use of the law and the urgency of repealing it entirely.

Joint Statement — Amnesty International, CIVICUS, FORUM-ASIA, Human Rights Watch, March 25, 2026

International Legal Standards

Under international human rights law, any restriction on freedom of expression must meet the three-part test of legality, legitimate aim, and necessity and proportionality. Criminal sanctions are not considered a justifiable response to alleged misinformation. The UN Human Rights Council, during Singapore's Universal Periodic Review in 2021, called on the government to review or repeal POFMA to ensure it does not interfere with freedom of expression.

Human rights organisations are calling on Singapore authorities to drop all charges against Jay Ish'haq Rajoo, cease the use of POFMA correction directions to silence critics, and repeal the law in its entirety.

Source: Human Rights Watch — Singapore: Drop All Criminal Charges Against Government Critic