VZCZCXRO2937
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGP #0631/01 0600923
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 010923Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8968
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2090
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0511

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 SINGAPORE 000631 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP 
STATE FOR INL/HSTC 
STATE PASS AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG ASEC KFRD PREF SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE'S SUBMISSION FOR THE 2006 TIP REPORT: 
PART II 
 
REF: A. SINGAPORE 630 
     ¶B. STATE 3836 
     ¶C. SINGAPORE 470 
     ¶D. SINGAPORE 139 
     ¶E. 05 SINGAPORE 3614 
 
¶1. This is the second of three messages relaying Embassy 
Singapore's 2005 TIP submission. It covers the investigation 
and prosecution of traffickers. 
 
INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  A.  Does the country have a law specifically 
prohibiting trafficking in persons--both trafficking for 
sexual exploitation and trafficking for non-sexual purposes 
(e.g., forced labor)? If so, what is the law?  If not, under 
what other laws can traffickers be prosecuted?  For example, 
are there laws against slavery or the exploitation of 
prostitution by means of coercion or fraud?  Are these other 
laws being used in trafficking cases?  Are these laws, taken 
together, adequate to cover the full scope of trafficking in 
persons?  Please provide a full inventory of trafficking 
laws, including civil penalties, (e.g., civil forfeiture laws 
against illegal debt). 
 
Singapore does have a law specifically prohibiting 
trafficking (Women's Charter section 141) as well as several 
other related laws.  Combined, these statutes criminalize all 
forms of trafficking in persons as defined by the U.N. 
Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in 
Persons and the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act. 
Many defendants are prosecutable for more than one offense 
under the laws described below; for persons convicted of more 
than two crimes, consecutive sentences are mandatory.  A 
concrete example of this multiple-charging involved the 
perpetrators in the case of a 12-year old Malaysian girl 
forced to work as a prostitute; she was rescued in 2002, and 
the prosecutions occurred in 2003.  One of her customers was 
convicted of rape, and a pimp of abetting the rape.  Another 
three persons were charged with four offenses: abetting rape; 
procuring the girl as a prostitute; bringing her into 
Singapore for that purpose; and living off her earnings.  All 
five received prison sentences ranging from 12 to 14 years, 
and four of the five were also caned. 
 
Laws pertaining to trafficking offenses include: 
 
Forced or coerced prostitution: In Singapore, it is illegal 
to use force or deceit to compel a person to go from any 
place for the purpose of wrongful confinement, slavery, 
illicit intercourse or prostitution; the punishment is up to 
10 years in prison, a fine, and caning (Penal Code 362-368). 
Procuring, trafficking, or bringing a woman or girl in or out 
of Singapore (for any reason other than a legal marriage or 
adoption) is illegal, and punishable by up to five years in 
prison and a SGD10,000 fine (Women's Charter 141).  Receiving 
or harboring any woman or girl, if a person has reason to 
know she has been procured for prostitution, is illegal; the 
punishment is up to 5 years in prison and a SGD10,000 fine 
(Women's Charter 140).  Facilitating or abetting the 
prostitution of any woman or girl is illegal; the punishment 
is up to five years in prison and a SGD 10,000 fine (Women's 
Charter 145).  If the girl is under 16, the offender faces an 
additional charge carrying a punishment of 3 years in prison 
and a $2,000 fine.  Managing or assisting in the management 
of a place of assignation is illegal; being a tenant, lessee, 
occupier or otherwise in charge of a place used as a brothel 
is illegal; these crimes carry a penalty of up to five years 
in prison and a $10,000 fine (Women's Charter 147-148).  It 
is illegal to compel a person to do anything they are not 
legally bound to do through threats against them or any 
person they have an interest in; the punishment is up to 
seven years in prison and a fine (Penal Code 503-506). 
Aiding the commission of any of the above offenses (even if 
they take place abroad), through act or omission, is illegal 
(Penal Code 107-109), meaning that harboring, transporting, 
and detaining a person who is recruited/forced/coerced into 
prostitution is illegal, as is facilitating child sex 
tourism, and the punishments are the same as for the actual 
crime.  Persons found guilty of involvement in any offense 
related to prostitution (for example, operating a place of 
assignation) can be required to forfeit or vacate any 
property found to be, in whole or in part, purchased with the 
proceeds of their crime. 
 
SINGAPORE 00000631  002 OF 007 
 
 
 
Prostitution of minors: Singapore prohibits the unlawful 
transfer, possession, custody or control of children and the 
importation of children by false pretenses; both offenses are 
punishable by up to four years in prison (Children and Young 
Persons Act 12). In addition, it is an offense for a person 
to commit or abet procuring any obscene or indecent act with 
a child or young person (under 14 and 16 respectively); the 
penalty is a prison term of up to two years and/or a 
substantial fine, which are both doubled for a second and 
subsequent offense (Children and Young Persons Act 7).  It is 
illegal to buy, sell, hire, let for hire, or otherwise obtain 
or dispose of any person under 21 for the purpose of 
prostitution; the punishment is up to 10 years in prison, a 
fine, and caning (Penal Code 372-373).  The government is 
currently drafting amendments to its laws that would raise 
the age of consent to 18 for commercial sex acts; changes are 
expected to be enacted by mid-2006. 
 
Involuntary servitude: Slavery and dealing in slaves is 
illegal and punishable with up to 10 years in prison and a 
fine (Penal Code 370-371).  Unlawfully compelling a person to 
labor against their will is an offense; the punishment is up 
to one year in prison and a fine (Penal Code 374). 
Wrongfully confining a person is illegal and is punishable 
with up to three years in prison and a fine (Penal Code 344); 
if the intention of the confinement is to keep them away from 
persons interested in their welfare, including public 
servants, the penalty can be increased by 2 additional years 
in jail.  Using force or deceit to compel any person to go 
from any place for the purpose or wrongful confinement or 
slavery is illegal and punishable with up to 10 years in 
prison, a fine, and caning (Penal Code 362-368).  It is 
illegal to compel a person to do anything they are not 
legally bound to do through threats against them or any 
person they have an interest in; the punishment is up to two 
years in prison and a fine (Penal Code 503-506).  Aiding the 
commission of any of the above offenses, through act or 
omission, is illegal, and punishable with the same penalty as 
the crime itself (Penal Code 107-109). 
 
 
¶B.  What are the penalties for traffickers of people for 
sexual exploitation?  For traffickers of people for labor 
exploitation? 
 
Per the answer in III.A, the penalties for traffickers of 
people for sexual exploitation are up to ten years in prison, 
a fine, and caning, which is the penalty in Singapore for 
almost all crimes involving grievous bodily hurt by dangerous 
weapons or means (including forcible assault, abduction, 
abetment of suicide, attempted murder, and homicide not 
amounting to culpable murder).  Persons involved in serious 
crimes, including sex-trafficking, may also be forced to 
forfeit any property that can be considered, in whole or in 
part, a benefit of the crime.  The penalty for forcible rape 
is up to 20 years in prison, a fine and caning; Singapore 
authorities have successfully used the statutes on rape and 
abetting or facilitating rape against traffickers. 
 
The penalties for traffickers of people for labor 
exploitation include a maximum of ten years in prison, a fine 
and caning.  Persons convicted of such crimes are also barred 
from hiring any foreigners in the future. 
 
Multiple, serious offenders, having received two sentences 
for two or more years in prison, may also be sentenced to 
police supervision after their release, and some, after a 
third offense, can be sentenced to preventative detention. 
 
¶C.  What are the penalties for rape or forcible sexual 
assault?  How do they compare to the penalty for sex 
trafficking? 
 
See answer to section B. 
 
¶D.  Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? 
Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute 
criminalized?  Are the activities of the brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? 
Are these laws enforced? If prostitution is legal and 
regulated, what is the legal minimum age for this activity? 
Note that in many countries with federalist systems, 
prostitution laws may be covered by state, local, and 
provincial authorities. 
 
SINGAPORE 00000631  003 OF 007 
 
 
 
Prostitution per se is not illegal.  However, public 
solicitation is illegal and punishable with a fine.  It also 
is illegal for third parties to live off the earnings of 
prostitutes, which is punishable with a fine or jail. 
Prosecutions for solicitation are rare and usually not aimed 
at the prostitute herself.  The Embassy is aware of only one 
such prosecution in 2005, against a man who was soliciting on 
behalf of several women -- Such actions would more normally 
be prosecuted under Singapore's anti-pimping statute.  Almost 
all sex workers in Singapore come from other countries and 
are in Singapore on a tourist or student visa.  Entry into 
Singapore for the purpose of prostitution or pimping is not 
permitted, giving police legal grounds to detain and 
repatriate suspected foreign sex workers.  From January to 
June 2005, authorities detained approximately 1700 foreign 
women as suspected sex workers.  A few of these women were 
prosecuted for having overstayed their visas in Singapore, 
but most were simply expelled after screening for possible 
coercion and efforts to elicit cooperation as witnesses 
against vice operators.  In addition, authorities can exclude 
from entry persons they believe may be entering to engage in 
prostitution; 540 foreign women were denied entry on these 
grounds between 2001-2003.  (Note: Post will file updated 
text when it receives full year, detailed law enforcement and 
immigration statistics from MHA.  End Note.) 
 
The law allows authorities to detain for rehabilitation women 
and girls under the age of 21 who are suspected of 
involvement in prostitution.  Since 1999, official 
information is that only seven persons have been held under 
this clause.  The cases were: four Cambodian girls determined 
to be 16-17 years old after medical examination (1999); one 
18-year old Singaporean (2000); one 12-year old Malaysian 
(2002); and one 16-year old PRC girl (2002).  All were placed 
in the Toa Payoh Girl's Home and given counseling; except for 
the Singaporean, all were prosecution witnesses against the 
vice operators. 
 
The government does not currently regard 16- and 17-year old 
sex workers as "trafficking" victims if they have knowingly 
and willingly engaged in the trade.  From a customer's 
standpoint, only consensual sex acts with girls under the age 
of 16 are illegal.  Nevertheless, the government prosecutes 
third parties involved in their prostitution, when girls are 
willing to be prosecution witnesses.  The government also has 
indicated that it will raise the age of consent for 
commercial sex acts to 18 in 2006.  All homosexual acts of 
any kind are illegal, though prosecutions in recent years 
have been rare. 
 
Operating a brothel and living off the earnings of a 
prostitute (pimping) are illegal.  From January to November 
2004, authorities prosecuted 4 pimps and 63 "vice abettors" 
(e.g., brothel operators).  (Note: Post will file updated 
text when it receives full year, detailed law enforcement and 
immigration statistics from MHA.  End Note.)  In addition, 
third parties involved in the prostitution of girls under the 
age of 16 face enhanced penalties (see section III.A). 
 
These legal structures are modified by the government's 
policy of "discretionary enforcement" in designated red light 
areas.  After over 20 years of unsuccessful concerted efforts 
to stamp out prostitution in the 1960s and 1970s, the 
Government decided to allow some brothels to operate in 
designated areas.  Cracking down on prostitution had forced 
the industry underground, leading to heavy involvement of 
organized criminal elements and high rates of sexually 
transmitted diseases.  In exchange for the Government's 
toleration of their activities, "authorized" brothels must 
adhere to strict guidelines.  Before commencing work, police 
interview each woman to ensure she is a voluntary participant 
in the sex trade.  All the women must be at least 21 years 
old, go through explicit "safe sex" training, submit 
themselves to biweekly medical checkups, and carry a yellow 
"health" card.  These sex workers may work only in the 
tolerated brothels, and may not solicit on the street or in 
other establishments. 
 
¶E.  Has the government prosecuted any cases against 
traffickers?  If so, provide numbers of arrests, indictments, 
convictions and sentences, including details on plea bargains 
and fines, if relevant and available.  Are the traffickers 
serving the time sentenced: If no, why not?  Please indicate 
whether the government can provide this information, and if 
 
SINGAPORE 00000631  004 OF 007 
 
 
not, why not? (Note: complete answers to this section are 
essential. End Note) 
 
(Note: Post will send a cable with this when it receives full 
year, detailed law enforcement and immigration statistics 
from MHA at the end of the week.  End Note.) 
 
¶F.  Is there any information or reports of who is behind the 
trafficking? For example, are the traffickers freelance 
operators, small crime groups, and/or large international 
organized crime syndicates?  Are employment, travel, and 
tourism agencies or marriage brokers fronting for traffickers 
or crime groups to traffic individuals?  Are government 
officials involved? Are there any reports of where profits 
from trafficking in persons are being channeled (e.g. armed 
groups, terrorist organizations, judges, banks, etc.) 
 
No known trafficking rings operate in Singapore. Government 
officials are not involved in trafficking. Representatives of 
other diplomatic missions and NGOs have told us that whatever 
trafficking does occur is run by small, freelance operators 
based outside of Singapore.  Major organized crime rings do 
not appear to be involved; some smaller rings have been 
discovered in the source countries but generally have only a 
few low-level persons physically in Singapore.  For example, 
in 2005 a victim rescued in Singapore gave police information 
on a sex-trafficking ring that was sending women to 
Singapore; the traffickers were later arrested in Thailand. 
In another case, Police in Batam, Indonesia, discovered a 
ring of baby smugglers that was sending babies to couples in 
Singapore, but only one courier ever entered Singapore 
itself. 
 
Embassy is not aware of any cases in which employment 
agencies, travel agencies or marriage brokers were involved 
in trafficking.  The government closely monitors these 
agencies, which face severe penalties for helping people to 
violate Singapore's tough immigration laws.  For example, 
travel agencies that repeatedly bring people to Singapore who 
do not leave when their visas expire are blacklisted by the 
government, are required to post a SGD 1,000 deposit on every 
one of their visitors, and face extended processing time for 
visas.  In the first half of 2004, the government blacklisted 
six such tourist agencies.  Employment agencies must be 
accredited, and are subjected to periodic audits and spot 
checks by Ministry of Manpower authorities.  It would be 
difficult to use marriage agencies as a front for labor or 
sex trafficking, given Singapore's stringent immigration 
rules: obtaining permanent residence status for a foreign 
spouse is an arduous process that can take years and subjects 
the couple to close scrutiny by immigration officials. 
Marriages of convenience to obtain immigration status are 
illegal, and people who misuse their Singapore documents 
(passport and national identity card) to skirt immigration 
rules can be prosecuted for fraud and corruption, both of 
which carry heavy jail sentences and potential caning.  The 
government has recently prosecuted a few marriage agents 
under Singapore's corruption statute.  The Immigration and 
Checkpoints Authority is currently investigating how marriage 
agencies recruit foreign brides; one official told us that he 
GOS hopes to prosecute some pending cases soon. 
 
¶G.  Does the government actively investigate cases of 
trafficking?  (Again, the focus should be on trafficking 
cases versus migrant smuggling cases.)  Does the government 
use active investigative techniques in trafficking in persons 
investigations?  To the extent possible under domestic law, 
are techniques such as electronic surveillance, undercover 
operations, and mitigated punishment or immunity for 
cooperating suspects used by the government?  Does the 
criminal procedure code or other laws prohibit the police 
from engaging in covert operations? 
 
Yes, the government actively investigates trafficking. Police 
use informants, electronic surveillance, and active patrols 
to monitor the sex industry for coercion.  Police and 
prosecutors say that they deal with any allegations of 
deception or coercion in the sex industry as priority cases, 
and NGOs say that "all" such tips that they pass to the 
police receive immediate attention.  Authorities screen 
detained suspected sex workers (i.e., those not operating in 
the "tolerated" system) for possible cases of coercion, and 
also to ascertain the identity of "vice operators" involved 
and obtain prosecution witnesses against these third parties. 
 Singapore Police are effective and equipped with broad 
 
SINGAPORE 00000631  005 OF 007 
 
 
powers.  They use techniques such as electronic surveillance, 
informants, and undercover and covert operations. 
Prosecutors can recommend mitigated punishments for people 
who cooperate in a police investigation.  They use these 
powers fully to investigate cases of alleged trafficking, 
report NGO representatives and other observers of the sex 
industry. 
 
For labor cases, the Ministry of Manpower conducts spot 
checks on employers, has a hotline for domestic workers, and 
with the police investigates tips from the public as well as 
NGOs.  In March 2005, for example, an NGO passed a tip from 
another foreign domestic worker about a confined, unpaid maid 
to police, who immediately worked with the NGO to rescue her. 
 
 
NGOs involved in combating sex and labor trafficking and 
foreign embassy contacts say that all allegations of coercion 
or force that they bring to police attention are fully 
investigated, although they note that the women's stories are 
often vague and difficult to verify.  NGO and consular 
officials affirm that they have no difficulty in getting the 
Police or Ministry of Manpower to respond to reports of 
trafficking or inquiries into ongoing investigations; NGO 
contacts also tell us that the police frequently seek them 
out for assistance with investigations and keep them abreast 
of their progress.  One NGO contact said, "If I thought the 
police were not following through or doing their job, I would 
not hesitate to go to the press.  I haven't had to do that 
yet." 
 
¶H.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in how to recognize, investigate and 
prosecute instances of trafficking? 
 
Police and prosecutors are competent to recognize, 
investigate and prosecute trafficking-related offenses. 
Police have consulted with a local NGO on techniques for 
improving their interaction with victims. The Police 
coordinate with foreign police forces on specialized training 
on issues such as vice syndicates.  Singapore also 
participates in training courses at the U.S. International 
Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok, including courses on 
trafficking-related crimes. 
 
¶I.  Does the government cooperate with other governments in 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?  If 
possible, can post provide the number of cooperative 
international investigations on trafficking? 
 
Yes.  We are aware of two specific cases this year in which 
Singapore has undertaken a cooperative investigation of 
possible trafficking rings with Thai and Indonesian police 
(confirmed by the Thai and Indonesian police).  The Singapore 
Police hold regular bilateral meetings with their Malaysian 
counterparts on trafficking and other transnational issues, 
and there are plans to expand these sessions to include 
Indonesia.  In February 2005, Singapore and Indonesia 
restarted talks on an extradition treaty, which would improve 
cooperative law enforcement efforts on transnational crimes, 
including trafficking. 
 
Singapore works closely with its ASEAN partners on 
trafficking, and exchanges police information on vice and 
people-smuggling syndicates with several Asian countries. 
ASEAN countries committed at their 2004 summit in Vientiane 
to do more to combat trafficking and exploitation, 
particularly of children.  NGO contacts tell us that this is 
a strong motivator for the government, which has noticeably 
stepped up its anti-trafficking efforts in response to this 
political commitment. 
 
The authorities also work with embassies of domestic-worker 
source countries (usually Indonesia or the Philippines) in 
investigating abuse allegations.  All but one of our contacts 
from these Embassies say they are pleased with the 
cooperation and support they receive from the Ministry of 
Manpower and the police.  The other contact says his Embassy 
chooses not to work with the police, and does not refer cases 
to the Singapore authorities.  Singapore does not release the 
number or nature of cooperative international investigations 
it participates in. 
 
Singapore authorities worked closely with their Malaysian 
counterparts in the case of the 12-year old girl who was 
 
SINGAPORE 00000631  006 OF 007 
 
 
brought to Singapore for prostitution.  They personally 
visited the family to assure her parents that she was safe 
and being well cared for.  Eventually, they returned her 
safely to her village, after getting her testimony in the 
case against her traffickers. 
 
Singapore actively participates in multilateral fora to 
combat TIP and people smuggling.  Singaporean airport and 
immigration authorities allow U.S. DHS immigration officers 
ongoing access inside Changi airport's transit lounge, where 
they assist Singaporean authorities to prevent and address 
potential human trafficking, people smuggling, and 
immigration fraud cases. 
 
¶J. Does the government extradite persons who are charged with 
trafficking in other countries?  If so, can post provide the 
number of traffickers extradited?  Does the government 
extradite its own nationals charged with such offenses?   If 
not, is the government prohibited by law from extraditing its 
own nationals?  If so, what is the government doing to modify 
its laws to permit the extradition of its own nationals? 
 
Singapore is not known to have received requests to extradite 
a trafficker.  Singapore extradites its own nationals. 
Singapore law requires extraditions to be on the basis of a 
treaty, but the GOS is willing to deport non-Singaporeans 
into custody if there is no extradition treaty in existence. 
 
¶K.  Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
If so, please explain in detail. 
 
There is no evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking.  The Singapore Government is 
virtually free of corruption.  Penalties in the few isolated 
cases of government corruption and misconduct have been harsh. 
 
¶L. If government officials are involved in trafficking, what 
steps has the government taken to end such participation? 
Have any government officials been prosecuted for involvement 
in trafficking or trafficking-related corruption?  Have any 
been convicted?  What actual sentence was imposed? Please 
provide specific numbers, if available. 
 
Not applicable. 
 
¶M.  If the country has an identified child sex tourism 
problem (as source or destination), how many foreign 
pedophiles has the government prosecuted or 
deported/extradited to their country of origin?  Do the 
country's child sexual abuse laws have extraterritorial 
coverage (like the U.S. PROTECT Act)? 
 
Men from Singapore do travel to the nearby Indonesian Riau 
islands, as well as other countries in the region for 
purposes of sex tourism.  It is probable that some are 
engaging in child sex tourism -- one Indonesian NGO, 
Partnership in Health and Humanity Foundation (YMKK) 
estimates that 30 percent of sex workers in Batam are under 
¶18.  However, no estimates of the number of Singaporeans who 
are involved in child sex tourism are available. 
 
The Singapore government acknowledges that it has a sex 
tourism problem and had drafted an amendment to its Penal 
Code that would allow the government to apply its statutes 
against child prostitution and rape to crimes committed 
overseas.  The amendment is expected to be adopted in early 
¶2006. 
 
¶N.  Has the government signed and ratified, and/or taken 
steps to implement the following international instruments? 
Please provide the date of signature/ratification if 
appropriate. 
 
-- ILO Convention 182 concerning the prohibition and 
immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of 
child labor. 
 
Singapore ratified ILO Convention 182 in June 2001. 
 
-- ILO Convention 29 and 105 on forced or compulsory labor? 
 
Singapore ratified Convention 29 in October 1965.  It 
ratified Convention 105 the same month, but withdrew from it 
in April 1979. 
 
SINGAPORE 00000631  007 OF 007 
 
 
 
-- The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of 
the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution, and 
child pornography. 
 
No. 
 
-- The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking 
in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the 
UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. 
 
No. 
HERBOLD