Activists expressed outrage Wednesday over Singapore's crackdown on Chinese bus drivers who staged the city-state's first industrial strike in 26 years to demand better pay and conditions.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, which represents 47 non-governmental organisations from 16 Asian countries, urged the release of the jailed and remanded drivers and demanded that charges against them be dropped.
"We condemn the Singapore government's criminalisation of the exercise of fundamental rights by the bus drivers who went on strike," said the Bangkok-based group's executive director Yap Swee Seng.
"The swift and harsh actions overlook the bases of their complaints about wage discrepancies and poor housing." Full story
Related:
- Activists slam Singapore crackdown on China strikers - Sin Chew Jit Poh
- Activists slam Singapore crackdown on Chinese strikers - South China Morning Post
- HK union body protests treatment of bus strikers in Singapore - Asian Correspondent
- International NGOs condemn Singapore for deporting 29 China bus strikers - Yahoo! News Malaysia
