Parliament passes Harassment (Amendment Bill)

  • 📰 thenewpaper
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 74 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 33%
  • Publisher: 63%

Singapore Headlines News

Singapore Latest News,Singapore Headlines

The Protection from Harassment (Amendment) Bill was debated and passed in Parliament yesterday. Senior Minister of State for Law Edwin Tong laid out the Bill and answered questions and clarifications from various Members of Parliament (MP), including Workers' Party Chief,...

Judges will also be required to take a proactive position and refer serious cases of hurt or harassment to the police even if the victims are only looking for protection orders.Protection Orders and EPOs will be extended to protect persons related to the victim, as these persons are often at risk of violence from the harasser as well. The EPOs will also remain in effect until the PO hearing is concluded.

The Bill will strengthen the remedies available when a PO or EPO is breached, making the breach arrestable in some circumstances.The Bill will also introduce double penalties for those who harass people with mental or physical disabilities or their intimate partners.The act of doxxing will be criminalised.Moreover, the scope of orders which can be made to target online falsehoods will also be expanded.

The courts will be empowered to make a range of orders to better and more quickly protect victims of falsehoods, including tasking a third party to stop publishing, disable access to, or issue corrections to rectify false statements about entities or individuals. Where an order has been made to stop the publication of false statements, all substantially similar false statements will also be covered by the order.All private individuals and companies. Government is exempt from the Act, and can neither call upon the Act, nor be judged under it.The courts will apply the new laws and will hold the power to decide, on a case by case basis, whether a given post is considered doxxing or false.

Mr Tong said that while some might brush off the loss of privacy or safety both online and offline as a worthwhile trade-off for the convenience and other advantages the Internet provides, the impact of online bullying, doxxing and harassment can leave long lasting and damaging effects that can affect a person for life, and it has to be dealt with.

Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 7. in SG

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

A look at key changes to Protection from Harassment ActSINGAPORE — Crucial changes to the Protection from Harassment Act (Poha) were passed in Parliament on Tuesday (May 7) to streamline procedures for victims of online bullying and harassment, and to tackle offences such as doxxing.
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Young victims of harassment can seek legal recourse through third party under amended BillSINGAPORE — The law will allow young victims of harassment to seek recourse in court by allowing third parties to file civil proceedings on their behalf, said Senior Minister of State for Law Edwin Tong in Parliament on Tuesday (May 7).
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Young victims of harassment can seek legal recourse through third party under amended billSINGAPORE — The law will allow young victims of harassment to seek recourse in court by allowing third parties to file civil proceedings on their behalf, said Senior Minister of State for Law Edwin Tong in Parliament on Tuesday (May 7).
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

In quotes: Parliament discusses the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation BillSINGAPORE: The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation (POFMA) Bill will be tabled for a second reading in Parliament on Tuesday (May 7).
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Hong Kong’s opposition lawmakers warn of legal action over controversial extradition billHong Kong’s opposition lawmakers on Sunday threatened to take legal action against the administrative wing of their own legislature over its handling of a controversial bill to amend the city’s extradition laws. The latest front in the battle over the proposed amendment followed moves on Saturday to
Source: YahooSG - 🏆 3. / 71 Read more »

Commentary: NMPs agree on major points of Falsehoods BillThis op-ed by Minister of Law and Home Affairs K Shanmugam was made available to CNA. What about the people? Us. Do we agree? Were our views sought?
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Battle lines drawn as MPs on both sides spar over fake news BillThe Government still has its work cut out for it to allay remaining concerns.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Law Ministry claims fake news bill will narrow, not widen, Government’s powersIn a letter published in the media today, Law Minister K Shanmugam's press secretary Teo Wan Gek wrote that the bill gives 'narrower powers to the Government, compared with...
Source: IndependentSG - 🏆 2. / 72 Read more »

Central points of Falsehoods Bill have found acceptance: ShanmugamLaw and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam responds to a joint statement issued last week by three Nominated Members of Parliament and commentaries published on May 1 by the Straits Times on the draft fake news laws.
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Experts raise concerns, suggest changes to fake news BillSINGAPORE — With Parliament set to debate Singapore’s proposed laws against fake news next Monday, a senior counsel and a national security researcher have expressed concerns about the Bill, saying that in its current form, it gives too much power to Ministers and not enough to the courts.
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Florida teachers can arm themselves under new gun billFLORIDA: Florida's legislature on Wednesday (May 1) passed a bill allowing teachers to carry guns in the classroom, expanding a programme launched ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »