Intellectual Profile Document Code: SG-H-THINK-17 Subject: Kirsten Han Li Ying (韩俐颖) Born: 11 November 1988, Singapore Nationality: Singaporean Version Date: 2026-03-17 Word Class: Exhaustive

Biographical Overview
Publications and Platforms
Detailed Arguments and Positions
- 3.1 Campaign Against the Death Penalty
- 3.2 Migrant Worker Rights and Conditions
- 3.3 Press Freedom and Media Independence
- 3.4 Political Prisoners and the Internal Security Act
- 3.5 LGBTQ+ Rights
- 3.6 POFMA and Its Chilling Effects
- 3.7 Civil Society Space and Activism
- 3.8 Democracy, Elections, and Political Reform
- 3.9 Coverage of the Workers' Party Cases
- 3.10 Housing, Inequality, and Social Justice
- 3.11 Environmental Issues
- 3.12 Drug Policy and Harm Reduction
- 3.13 Racial Justice and Ethnic Minorities
Public Quotations
Key Campaigns and Interventions
Controversies and Government Responses
International Profile and Recognition
Published Works
Assessment and Significance

1. Biographical Overview

Early Life and Education

Kirsten Han Li Ying was born on 11 November 1988 in Singapore. She was raised in Singapore in a Chinese Singaporean family and attended local schools before going abroad for tertiary education. She studied at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Film, graduating with First Class Honours in 2009. She later completed a Master of Arts in Journalism, Media and Communication at Cardiff University, Wales, from September 2012 to September 2013.

Originally trained in film and video production, Han's path into journalism was indirect. Her introduction to journalism came while working as an assistant producer on documentary projects at Lianain Films, a Singapore-based independent documentary production house. Between March 2010 and February 2012, she served as Production Assistant and later Assistant Producer at Lianain Films, where her duties included researching stories, handling production logistics, helping on shoots, digitising and transcribing footage, assembly editing, sound mixing, and handling administrative matters.

The stories she covered at Lianain Films ranged from dowry violence in Bangladesh to China's mission to foster medal-winning athletes, which opened her eyes to social justice and human rights issues around the world. Productions she was involved in included Maestro's Daughters, Dowry Deaths, The Bomber, Yong's Story, North Korea's Cinema of Dreams, Small Fry Big Catch, iProtest, Tough Love, Storm In Subic Bay, The Great North Korean Picture Show, In The Kingdom of Reverend Moon, and China's Race for Gold — most of which were screened on Al Jazeera English's various documentary strands.

Personal Life

While in the United Kingdom for university, Han met a Scottish man named Calum Stuart. They married in Scotland in 2014. She has been based in Singapore throughout her career as a journalist and activist, though she travels frequently for international speaking engagements, conferences, and reporting.

Entry into Activism

In 2010, while still working at Lianain Films, Han came across the case of Yong Vui Kong, a young Malaysian national on death row in Singapore for drug trafficking. Lianain Films was producing a documentary about Vui Kong's case. After learning about the case and reading up on the law, Han joined the campaign to halt his execution and to call for the abolition of the mandatory death penalty. This experience was formative: it drew her into activism and led to her co-founding We Believe in Second Chances, an anti-death penalty organisation, in 2010, alongside fellow human rights activists Damien Chng and Priscilla Chia.

That same year, she began volunteering with The Online Citizen (TOC), an alternative news website that covered Singapore politics and social issues from a perspective independent of the mainstream media. Through TOC, she was further introduced to capital punishment issues through a campaign advocating for the abolition of the mandatory death penalty.

She began freelancing in print and online journalism in 2012, the same year she embarked on her Masters degree at Cardiff University. Since then, she has built a career that straddles journalism and activism, a dual identity that she has reflected on publicly and that has been a source of both strength and vulnerability.

Career Trajectory

2010–2012: Production Assistant/Assistant Producer, Lianain Films
2010: Co-founded We Believe in Second Chances
2010–present: Volunteering and activism with The Online Citizen and various civil society groups
2012–present: Freelance journalist, with bylines in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Foreign Policy, Al Jazeera, Hong Kong Free Press, Rest of World, MIT Technology Review, Southeast Asia Globe, Asia Times, The Diplomat, The News Lens International, Lowy Institute's The Interpreter, and many others
2017–2020: Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, New Naratif
2020–present: Member, Transformative Justice Collective
2022–present: Managing Editor / Editor-in-Chief, Mekong Review
Ongoing: Curator, We, The Citizens newsletter and Altering States newsletter

2. Publications and Platforms

2.1 We, The Citizens

We, The Citizens is Kirsten Han's primary platform — a weekly email newsletter and website covering Singaporean politics, social justice, human rights, and civil society from a rights-based perspective. The newsletter has become one of the most significant independent media voices covering Singapore, offering analysis and commentary that diverges sharply from mainstream media narratives.

The newsletter covers:

Capital punishment and executions in Singapore
Migrant worker rights and dormitory conditions
Government surveillance and civil liberties
Electoral politics and parliamentary affairs
LGBTQ+ rights and equality
POFMA correction directions and their implications
Civil society developments and restrictions
Criminal justice and the prison system

Han maintains a POFMA Tracker — a resource documenting all POFMA correction directions issued by the Singapore government — and a spreadsheet of general election manifestos, both hosted through We, The Citizens. These have become widely used civic resources.

The newsletter operates on a subscription model with much of the content available for free. Han has noted that maintaining financial independence is important for editorial independence.

2.2 Altering States

Altering States is a secondary newsletter that Han runs within the We, The Citizens platform, focused specifically on drugs and drug policy. The newsletter is described as being "viewed through the lens of a Singaporean unlearning the punishing 'zero tolerance' narratives she'd been raised on."

The name signals that society needs to alter not just states of mind when it comes to thinking about drug use, but also to alter the current state of drug policy. The newsletter is always free. It covers international drug policy developments, harm reduction approaches, critiques of prohibition-based models, and Singapore's specific approach to drug enforcement, including the death penalty for drug trafficking.

2.3 New Naratif

In 2017, Kirsten Han co-founded the Malaysian-based online journalism platform New Naratif alongside comic artist Sonny Liew and historian Thum Ping Tjin. New Naratif was conceived as a platform for Southeast Asian journalism, research, art, and community-building, with the stated mission of providing in-depth, regional coverage that went beyond the quick-hit news cycle.

Han served as Editor-in-Chief of New Naratif from its founding until March 2020. During her tenure, the platform published investigative journalism, commentary, data journalism, comics, and community resources focused on Southeast Asian politics, human rights, and democracy.

New Naratif received a grant from a foundation associated with George Soros's Open Society Foundation, which became a significant point of contention with the Singapore government (detailed in the Controversies section below). The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) refused to register the organisation in Singapore, stating it would be "contrary to Singapore's national interests."

The platform was also investigated by Singapore police during the 2020 general election for allegedly publishing paid advertisements on Facebook. After a lengthy investigation with the concurrence of the Attorney-General's Chambers, New Naratif was cleared of all allegations, the case was closed, and no charges were filed.

2.4 Mekong Review

Since the end of 2022, Han has served as Managing Editor and subsequently Editor-in-Chief of Mekong Review, a quarterly English-language magazine of arts, literature, culture, politics, the environment, and society in Asia. The journal covers Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia, and Asian diaspora communities. At a time of shrinking freedom of expression and media freedom across Asia, Mekong Review positions itself as a space for writers with a distinctly Asian perspective. Han receives pitches for non-fiction work at her editorial email address.

2.5 Freelance Journalism — International Outlets

Han's freelance journalism career has placed her bylines in an extensive roster of major international publications:

The New York Times — Op-eds and opinion pieces, including on POFMA (January 2020) and on Singapore-US political dynamics ("What Trump Is Learning From Singapore — and Vice Versa," March 2018)
The Washington Post — Commentary on Singapore's fake news legislation and its implications for free speech
The Guardian — Reporting and commentary on Singapore politics and human rights
Foreign Policy — Major features, including "Singapore Is Trying to Forget Migrant Workers Are People" (May 2020), covering the COVID-19 dormitory crisis
Al Jazeera — Reporting on migrant workers, climate activism in Singapore, and the death penalty
Rest of World — Analysis of FICA and its implications: "Singapore's new anti-foreign interference law is troubling. I should know, I'm a target" (2021)
Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) — Commentary on Singapore's execution spree: "Singapore wants to kill, but it doesn't want anyone talking about it" (July 2022)
MIT Technology Review — Technology-related reporting
Lowy Institute's The Interpreter — Analysis of Singapore politics, including COVID-19's impact on migrant workers and election analysis
Southeast Asia Globe — Features on Singapore and regional issues
Asia Times — Political commentary
The Diplomat — In-depth features, including a major interview on abolishing the death penalty (January 2023)
The News Lens International — Multiple articles on Singapore's death penalty, drug policy, POFMA, civil society, Speakers' Corner, Operation Spectrum, and the 2020 elections
Red Pepper — Analysis of one-party rule in Singapore
Waging Nonviolence — Coverage of migrant worker strikes and the 25th anniversary of Operation Spectrum
The Nation — "Why We Challenged Singapore's 'Fake News' Legislation"
Premium Times (Nigeria) — "Freedom of Expression and the Lessons From Singapore's POFMA"
Popula — "Things We Don't Know About the Death Penalty in Singapore" (December 2019)
HuffPost — "The Mandatory Death Penalty: A Blinkered Policy"
Xtra Magazine — Coverage of LGBTQ+ issues in Singapore

2.6 Documentary Work

Han's early career in documentary filmmaking at Lianain Films laid the groundwork for her journalism. While she transitioned primarily to print and online journalism, her documentary sensibility — the focus on storytelling, on humanising subjects, on using narrative to illuminate systemic issues — has remained central to her approach. The Lianain Films documentaries she worked on, many of which aired on Al Jazeera English, covered topics from dowry violence in Bangladesh to North Korea's cinema to China's athletic programme.

Han maintains an active social media presence across multiple platforms:

Twitter/X (@kixes): Han's most prominent social media platform, with approximately 29,000+ followers and over 98,000 posts. She uses the platform extensively for real-time commentary on Singapore politics, sharing news about death penalty cases, amplifying migrant worker issues, and engaging with critics and supporters alike.
Instagram (@kixes): Approximately 7,900+ followers with over 1,280 posts.
Facebook: Used for sharing articles and commentary, including posts that have been subject to POFMA correction directions.
Mastodon (kopiti.am/@kixes): Han has a presence on Mastodon, the decentralised social media platform, reflecting the broader movement among journalists and activists to diversify beyond corporate-owned platforms, particularly after Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter.
Medium (@kixes): Han has published multiple essays on Medium, including pieces on Operation Spectrum, the death penalty, and Singapore politics.
LinkedIn: Professional presence documenting her career trajectory.

Her social media use has been notable for its candour and willingness to directly challenge government officials and mainstream media narratives. It has also made her a target: several POFMA correction directions have been issued in connection with her social media posts.

2.8 The Online Citizen

Before launching her own platforms, Han was a contributor and volunteer at The Online Citizen (TOC), one of Singapore's most prominent alternative news websites. TOC provided early exposure to the issues that would define her career — the death penalty, civil liberties, and the need for independent media voices in Singapore. TOC itself was eventually subject to government action and ceased operations.

3. Detailed Arguments and Positions

3.1 Campaign Against the Death Penalty

The death penalty is the issue most closely associated with Kirsten Han's activism. She has been active in the abolitionist movement since 2010 and is among Singapore's most visible and persistent critics of capital punishment, particularly as applied to drug trafficking offences.

Core Arguments

The death penalty does not deter drug trafficking. Han has consistently challenged the Singapore government's primary justification for the death penalty — that it "works" as a deterrent against drug use and trafficking. She argues there is no conclusive evidence proving that executions actually deter drug use or addiction. The government's claim that Singapore's relative safety and low drug prevalence are attributable to the death penalty is, in Han's view, a post hoc rationalisation that ignores other factors (education, social services, economic development) that may contribute more significantly.

The death penalty disproportionately punishes the vulnerable. Han has repeatedly observed that the people who end up on death row in Singapore tend to be drug mules or low-level sellers from already vulnerable or marginalised communities — not the leaders of drug syndicates. They are typically from working-class backgrounds, often from neighbouring countries like Malaysia or Nigeria, with limited education and resources. The mandatory nature of the death penalty (prior to the 2012 reforms) and the rigid sentencing framework mean that judges have limited discretion to consider mitigating circumstances, leading to what Han characterises as a system that kills the poor and desperate while leaving the powerful untouched.

Punitive drug policies cause harm, not healing. Han frames the death penalty as part of a broader "war on drugs" approach that fails to address the underlying causes of drug use and trafficking. She argues that criminalisation, harsh punishments, and prohibition do not help people struggling with chronic and harmful drug use, and instead generate trauma, shame, and social exclusion. Campaigning for abolition is, in her view, part of a wider push for change that would create a more supportive and healing environment.

The lack of transparency is a fundamental problem. Han has been critical of the profound secrecy surrounding Singapore's execution process. Prison officers, counsellors, and medical staff involved in executions are bound to silence under the Official Secrets Act. Families of death row prisoners receive execution notices with very little advance warning — sometimes only days before the scheduled hanging. The government accepted recommendations during its 2011 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to make information related to the death penalty public, but Han argues this commitment has not been fulfilled in any meaningful way.

Storytelling as activism. Much of Han's contribution to the abolitionist campaign involves humanising the issue through journalism. She writes about death row prisoners as individuals — their life stories, their families, their circumstances — rather than allowing them to be reduced to case numbers and crime categories. She has accompanied families of death row prisoners through the legal process, visited prisons, and documented the human toll of capital punishment in Singapore with an intimacy that mainstream media rarely achieves.

Key Death Penalty Cases

Yong Vui Kong (2007–2013): The case that drew Han into activism. Yong Vui Kong was a 19-year-old Malaysian national arrested in Singapore on 13 June 2007 and charged with trafficking 47.27 grams of diamorphine (heroin). Under Singapore's laws at the time, possession of this quantity triggered the mandatory death penalty. Han, along with Damien Chng and Priscilla Chia, co-founded We Believe in Second Chances in 2010 specifically to campaign for Yong's life and to advocate for the abolition of the mandatory death penalty. The campaign generated significant public attention and contributed to a broader movement that eventually led to legislative amendments in November 2012 abolishing the mandatory death penalty under certain circumstances. Yong's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane in November 2013.

Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam (2009–2022): Nagaenthran was a Malaysian national convicted of trafficking 42.72 grams of diamorphine into Singapore. His case attracted extraordinary international attention because he had an IQ measured at 69 and other cognitive impairments, raising questions about whether executing him would violate international norms against executing persons with intellectual disabilities. Han and the Transformative Justice Collective played a central role in publicising the case, helping raise over $14,000 within two days to fund Nagaenthran's family's travel to Singapore for flights, quarantine hotel rooms, and other arrangements. Despite international appeals, including from the European Union and United Nations human rights bodies, Nagaenthran was executed on 27 April 2022.

Abdul Kahar Othman (2022): Abdul Kahar's execution in March 2022 was Singapore's first execution during the COVID-19 pandemic and marked the resumption of hangings after a two-year pause. Approximately 400 Singaporeans, including Han, Jolovan Wham, and Kokila Annamalai, gathered at Hong Lim Park (Speakers' Corner) to protest the execution. Han was subsequently investigated by police for holding a candlelight vigil in connection with the execution (detailed in the Controversies section).

Tangaraju Suppiah (2023): Tangaraju, a 46-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to death in 2018 for abetting the trafficking of approximately 1 kilogram of cannabis. His case raised significant concerns about due process: his conviction relied mainly on statements from police interrogation taken without a lawyer or interpreter present, and on the testimony of co-accused persons, one of whom had charges dismissed. The case against Tangaraju was largely circumstantial. Han and the Transformative Justice Collective campaigned vigorously against his execution, which was carried out on 26 April 2023. Han confirmed the execution via social media, reporting that Tangaraju's family had been given the death certificate. She was subsequently issued POFMA correction directions in connection with her coverage of the case (see Section 6).

The 2022 Execution Wave: After a two-year pause due to COVID-19, Singapore resumed executions in 2022 at what Han described as an alarming pace. She stated: "The speed of these executions this year is really astonishing" and suggested the government appeared to be "clearing a backlog." She described the impact on activists and families: "The merciless pace of executions has been a huge source of distress. There isn't enough time to process or grieve one hanging before another comes again. It's horrific."

Organisational Involvement

We Believe in Second Chances: Co-founded in 2010 with Damien Chng and Priscilla Chia. The organisation was a youth-led initiative to raise awareness about the mandatory death penalty and the death penalty in Singapore more broadly. It was born from the campaign to save Yong Vui Kong.

Transformative Justice Collective (TJC): Han has been a member of TJC since its formation in 2020. TJC works to demystify and challenge Singapore's criminal punishment system, including by calling for the abolition of the death penalty. The collective runs a support fund to assist families of death row prisoners with costs related to their cases — transportation, accommodation, food, and other expenses for family members (often from Malaysia) who struggle to afford visits to Singapore. Han has noted that it is disproportionately the sisters of death row inmates who shoulder the emotional and logistical burden of supporting their family members through the legal process and the lead-up to execution. Her role in TJC encompasses advocacy, storytelling, family support, and public engagement.

3.2 Migrant Worker Rights and Conditions

Han has been a consistent advocate for the rights and dignity of migrant workers in Singapore, a cause that gained heightened visibility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pre-Pandemic Advocacy

Long before COVID-19 made migrant worker dormitories a national talking point, Han was reporting on the conditions faced by foreign workers in Singapore. In 2015, migrant workers gave Han a tour of their dormitory — a former factory building housing construction workers from Bangladesh, where approximately 130 men lived with up to 18 or 19 men per room, sleeping in bunks with makeshift privacy screens. The workers described it as "a nice dormitory," a description that Han found revealing of the low baseline expectations created by systemic neglect.

Han has highlighted the structural factors that leave migrant workers vulnerable:

Low wages: Despite performing physically demanding and dangerous work in construction, shipyards, and other industries, migrant workers are paid wages that would be considered poverty-level by Singaporean standards.
Employer-tied work permits: The system ties work permits to specific employers, who can cancel them at any time, creating a power imbalance that makes it extremely difficult for workers to report abuse or advocate for better conditions without risking deportation.
Debt bondage through agent fees: Migrant workers often pay substantial agent fees and kickbacks to secure employment in Singapore, creating conditions of effective debt bondage. Workers arrive in Singapore already in debt and must continue working under poor conditions to repay what they owe.
Criminalisation of protest: In December 2012, when 171 bus drivers from China went on strike over pay and conditions, the government responded by charging and deporting the workers rather than addressing their grievances. Han covered this incident, framing it as evidence of Singapore's hostility toward labour organising.

COVID-19 Dormitory Crisis

The outbreak of COVID-19 in Singapore's migrant worker dormitories in 2020 — which saw infection rates in dormitories vastly exceeding those in the general community — brought global attention to conditions that activists like Han had been warning about for years. Her May 2020 article in Foreign Policy, titled "Singapore Is Trying to Forget Migrant Workers Are People," became one of the most widely read international critiques of Singapore's handling of the crisis.

In this article, Han argued that the Singapore government's approach to the pandemic among migrant workers was utilitarian and dehumanising, treating workers as units of economic output rather than as human beings with dignity and rights. She noted that activists had been saying for years that the crowded dormitory conditions were "a disaster waiting to happen."

The article prompted a formal response from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which wrote a letter to the editor of Foreign Policy rebutting Han's characterisation.

Han also wrote for the Lowy Institute's The Interpreter about how COVID-19 forced Singapore to confront conditions for its migrant workers, and for The News Lens International about whether Singapore would search for its soul after the pandemic.

Systemic Critique

Han's critique goes beyond individual abuses to challenge the structural design of Singapore's migrant labour system. She argues that the system is designed to maximise the economic utility of foreign workers while minimising their claims on social services, political participation, and public space. Workers are housed in dormitories far from residential areas, effectively segregated from Singaporean society. When they become inconvenient — through illness, injury, or asserting their rights — the system is designed to facilitate their removal.

3.3 Press Freedom and Media Independence

Han's views on press freedom are shaped by her own experience as an independent journalist operating in a media environment that she considers structurally hostile to critical reporting.

The Structural Imbalance

Han argues that Singapore's media landscape is dominated by mainstream outlets that skew towards the ruling People's Action Party and uphold hegemonic narratives. She identifies a severe imbalance in platform, influence, and resources between mainstream media and independent outlets. The restructuring of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) — which moved its media arm into a not-for-profit entity — did not, in Han's view, change the fundamental dynamics. She argued that it would take far more than corporate restructuring for Singapore's mainstream news provider to suddenly care about press freedom and independent reporting.

The "Asian Values" Narrative

Han rejects what she calls the "Asian Values" narrative — the claim, associated with Lee Kuan Yew and other Asian leaders, that Asian societies prioritise order, stability, and collective welfare over individual liberties like press freedom. She critiques the notion that "Asians just want to follow rules and be oppressed," arguing that this framing serves the interests of authoritarian governments rather than reflecting the actual desires of Asian peoples.

Singapore Is Not a Haven for Press Freedom

When commentators suggested that Singapore could serve as an alternative hub for journalists and media organisations leaving Hong Kong after the imposition of the National Security Law, Han was sharply critical: "If you're someone who wants to leave Hong Kong because you're troubled by the erosion of civil liberties like freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press — why would you come to Singapore?"

Independent Media Landscape

Despite the constraints, Han has documented the existence of a modest but meaningful independent media ecosystem in Singapore, including newsletters, podcasts, and online platforms that provide alternatives to mainstream coverage. She has argued that independent reporting can shape public understanding of political and social issues, and that supporting independent media is essential for a healthy democracy.

3.4 Political Prisoners and the Internal Security Act

Han has written extensively about the Internal Security Act (ISA), Singapore's colonial-era preventive detention law, and its use against political opponents and activists.

Operation Spectrum (1987)

Operation Spectrum is a recurring subject in Han's writing. In May 1987, 16 social activists and volunteers were arrested by the Internal Security Department (ISD) and detained without trial under the ISA, accused of being involved in a "Marxist Conspiracy" to subvert the state. In June 1987, six more were arrested. The detainees included Roman Catholic church workers, social workers, theatre practitioners, and lawyers.

Han has written multiple essays about Operation Spectrum:

"Untracing the Conspiracy: The story of Operation Spectrum" (Medium) — discussing a documentary by Jason Soo about the 1987 detentions
"30 years on, it's time for the truth about Operation Spectrum" (Medium, 2017) — calling for a formal reckoning with the events of 1987
"Waiting for Answers after 30 Years: Singapore's Operation Spectrum" (The News Lens International) — documenting the ongoing quest for truth and accountability

Han's position is that the detainees were subjected to ill-treatment under interrogation and forced to confess to a fabricated "Marxist Conspiracy" on public television. She notes that the claim that these Singaporeans had been Marxists out to subvert the state and overthrow the democratically elected government has been refuted multiple times by academics, researchers, journalists, and the detainees themselves. She has called for the Singapore government to acknowledge what happened, apologise to the detainees, and open the historical record.

Chia Thye Poh

Han has written about Chia Thye Poh, a former opposition member of parliament who became Singapore's longest-serving political prisoner, detained without trial for 23 years under the ISA (1966–1989). After his release from detention, he was placed under house arrest on Sentosa island for a further nine years. Han cites Chia's case as evidence of the ISA's potential for abuse and the absence of meaningful judicial oversight over preventive detention.

The ISA as a Tool of Repression

Han's broader argument is that the ISA, while framed by the government as a necessary tool for national security, has historically been used to suppress political dissent, silence critics, and intimidate civil society. She argues that the lack of judicial review — detainees under the ISA are held on the executive's authority without trial — makes the Act fundamentally incompatible with the rule of law and human rights.

3.5 LGBTQ+ Rights

Han has been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights in Singapore, particularly in the context of the campaign to repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalised sex between men.

Support for Repeal of Section 377A

Han supported the repeal of Section 377A and celebrated its removal, writing "Goodbye and good riddance, Section 377A!" in her We, The Citizens newsletter.

However, she was sharply critical of the manner in which the government handled the repeal. The government simultaneously amended the Constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman, effectively insulating the definition of marriage from future legal challenge. Han argued that this move was "undermining the main point of repealing Section 377A by enshrining the discrimination against LGBTQ people elsewhere."

Beyond Repeal

Han has consistently argued that repealing Section 377A was necessary but insufficient. She wrote that "while Section 377A is gone, the discrimination that it legitimised with its existence is still here to stay" and that "we still have a long way to go to achieve equality for LGBTQ+ people in Singapore."

She has identified ongoing areas of discrimination including:

Unequal access to public housing (HDB flats) for same-sex couples
The inability of same-sex couples to adopt children
The constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman
Ongoing social stigma and discrimination in employment and public life

Critique of Performative Allyship

Han has been critical of politicians who claim to have LGBTQ+ friends but oppose meaningful equality measures. During the parliamentary debate on Section 377A, she wrote: "I understand that many parliamentarians have gay friends but don't think it's all that important for those friends to have equal rights. Basically, there are a lot of LGBTQ+ people out there who need better friends."

More broadly, she has stated: "If you aren't interested in ensuring that your LGBTQ+ friends have equal rights as you, and aren't singled out by discriminatory legislation and policies that deprive them of things like equal access to housing, then you aren't really their friend."

She also criticised the Law Minister's expression of sympathy for a gay couple who were assaulted, calling it "little more than opportunistic political BS" given the government's broader stance on LGBTQ+ rights.

3.6 POFMA and Its Chilling Effects

The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), enacted in 2019, has been a central focus of Han's critique of the Singapore government. She has been both a critic of the law and a direct target of it, having received multiple POFMA correction directions.

Critique of POFMA's Design

Han has described POFMA as "an extremely blunt tool" that grants ministers excessive discretion to demand corrections, takedowns, and blocked access. Her core objections include:

Ministerial discretion without adequate safeguards: POFMA allows government ministers to determine what constitutes a "false statement of fact" and to issue correction or takedown directions accordingly. Han argues this gives the executive branch too much power over public discourse without meaningful independent oversight.
Pattern of targeting critics: Han has observed that POFMA orders have been disproportionately directed at opposition parties, politicians, and government critics. In her January 2020 New York Times op-ed, she noted that "every POFMA order so far has been directed at an opposition party or politician, or a government critic."
Chilling effects on journalism and public discourse: Han has written extensively about how POFMA creates a climate of self-censorship. Journalists, commentators, and ordinary citizens think twice before publishing material that might trigger a correction direction, not because their information is false, but because the process itself is intimidating and burdensome.
Potential for export: Han has expressed concern about POFMA serving as a model for other governments seeking to regulate (and suppress) online speech under the guise of combating "fake news." She has noted that "the problems that tech companies have had with fake news and hate speech have given governments a good opportunity to justify the need for such laws."

Personal Experience with POFMA's Chilling Effects

Han has described her own experience of POFMA's chilling effects with unusual candour: "While still committed to writing about human rights issues, I'm not keen to walk straight into getting POFMA-ed, or charged for deliberately spreading falsehoods. This uncertainty and concern led me to drag my heels on this story for much longer than I would otherwise have had."

This admission is significant because it demonstrates, from the perspective of an experienced and relatively fearless journalist, how POFMA achieves its effect not primarily through the correction directions themselves but through the anticipatory self-censorship they generate.

The New York Times Op-Ed and Government Rebuttal

Han's January 2020 opinion piece in The New York Times criticising POFMA drew a formal response from Singapore's Ambassador to the United States, Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, who wrote a letter to the editor rebutting Han's arguments. According to Ambassador Mirpuri, correction notices are only issued for "deliberate online falsehoods" and not for writing that is critical of Singapore. This exchange exemplified the broader dynamic between Han and the Singapore government — she publishes criticism in international outlets, and the government responds through diplomatic channels.

Human Rights Press Award

In 2019, Han won a Human Rights Press Award for her commentaries on "fake news" and freedom of expression in Singapore, recognition that her POFMA-related writing was meeting international journalistic standards.

3.7 Civil Society Space and Activism

Han's arguments about civil society in Singapore are among her most developed and personal, informed by over a decade of direct experience as an activist operating within the constraints of the Singaporean system.

The Architecture of Control

Han has identified multiple mechanisms through which the Singapore government constrains civil society:

Speakers' Corner restrictions: Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park is the only place in Singapore where citizens can assemble for speeches, protests, rallies, and demonstrations without a permit. Han has written extensively about her experiences speaking at Hong Lim Park and about the government's periodic tightening of restrictions on its use — including blanket bans on activities related to the Israel-Palestine conflict and restrictions requiring that only citizens and permanent residents may participate.
The Public Order Act: This legislation requires permits for public assemblies and has been used to investigate and prosecute activists for activities as modest as candlelight vigils (see Section 6 on the police investigation of Han and Rocky Howe).
FICA and POFMA: The Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act and the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act create additional layers of legal risk for civil society actors who receive foreign funding or make public statements that the government disputes.
Defamation and contempt of court: The threat of defamation suits and contempt proceedings creates a legal minefield for activists and journalists who criticise public figures or the judiciary.

Fear and Self-Censorship

In a CIVICUS interview, Han discussed how Singapore's political system impacts activism: "The entrenched system instils fear, making progress for civil society slow and difficult." She has noted that Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's political approach has emphasised continuity and stability, with little indication that significant changes in human rights and civil liberties will occur under his leadership.

Han has written about her first-hand experience of government intimidation. Her first reaction to government comments about her was one of shock and fear. She describes a pattern: government officials publicly name and shame activists, mainstream media amplifies the accusations, and pro-government commentators pile on. The effect is to isolate activists and make others afraid to follow their example.

Gaslighting

Han has used the term "gaslighting" to describe a specific government tactic: making public accusations against activists, then accusing the activists of overreacting or being paranoid when they respond. In her 2019 essay "On accusations and gaslighting," she documented instances where government ministers made statements about her that she considered false or misleading, and then characterised her objections as evidence of bad faith.

The Philosophy of Activism

Despite the constraints, Han has articulated a philosophy of activism grounded in community-building, solidarity, and hope. She argues that "500,000 people on the streets" is not a useful way to measure the strength, maturity, and success of a country's civil society — what matters more are the communities, networks, and solidarity that form the foundation for building trust and a sense of ownership.

She argues that activists should be recognised as people who are invested in building communities, bettering society, and improving lives, not as troublemakers or foreign agents. Dissenting views and protests, in her view, should be treated as part and parcel of how a society navigates differences.

3.8 Democracy, Elections, and Political Reform

Han has written extensively about Singapore's electoral system and democratic deficits.

The PAP's Dominance

Han argues that the People's Action Party has won every election since 1959, but it hasn't always been a fair fight. She identifies structural advantages that the PAP holds: control over the Elections Department, gerrymandering through boundary changes, the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system that raises the barrier to opposition entry, restrictions on campaigning, and a mainstream media that favours the ruling party.

Youth Political Engagement

Han has been particularly interested in the political awakening of young Singaporeans. She argues that young Singaporeans care about issues such as racism, inequality, and civil liberties because they recognise that these are inextricably linked to people's well-being and ability to make ends meet. She has noted that it is harder to impress young voters with one-off transfers and handouts; they want deeper discussions of structural issues and the dismantling of institutionalised injustice.

During the 2020 general election, Han highlighted an email from Hwa Chong Institution advising students to refrain from posting about the election on social media, posing the question: "What does it do to our society when young Singaporeans are openly warned away from politics as if it's something dangerous to be afraid of?"

The Siege Mentality

Han argues that Singaporean political discourse has been skewed to value stability above almost everything else, and that the PAP uses this dynamic as an opportunity to perpetuate a siege mentality — the sense that Singapore is perpetually vulnerable and that any deviation from PAP governance would be catastrophic.

GE2020 Coverage

During the 2020 general election, Han provided extensive coverage through both New Naratif and We, The Citizens. She compiled spreadsheets of party manifestos, provided voter education resources, and wrote analysis noting that more Singaporeans were talking about the need for a greater range of voices in Parliament.

GE2025 Coverage

During the 2025 general election, Han continued her voter education work, creating a consolidated spreadsheet of all released party manifestos. She provided highlights and observations from the campaign trail through We, The Citizens.

3.9 Coverage of the Workers' Party Cases

Han has covered the Workers' Party controversies with a perspective that acknowledges wrongdoing within the opposition while arguing that the government's response reveals double standards.

The Raeesah Khan Affair

When Workers' Party MP Raeesah Khan admitted in November 2021 that she had lied in Parliament about accompanying a sexual assault victim to make a police report, Han acknowledged that Raeesah was wrong and that the Workers' Party could have handled the situation better. However, Han argued that the response seemed "over-the-top," especially since the lie, while misguided, was incidental and did not change the fact that survivors do have bad experiences when reporting sexual assault.

Double Standards

In her article "Lies, accountability, double standards, and power in Singapore" (We, The Citizens), Han argued that Singapore has "a somewhat elastic commitment to transparency, accountability, and consequences." She suggested that the intense scrutiny of Raeesah Khan and the Workers' Party contrasted with the government's handling of its own scandals, indicating a double standard in how different political parties are held accountable.

The Pritam Singh Trial

The prosecution of Workers' Party leader Pritam Singh for lying to a parliamentary committee — arising from the Raeesah Khan affair — has been covered by Han as evidence of the disproportionate legal machinery brought to bear against opposition figures. Singh was convicted and fined S$14,000 on two counts of lying under oath, had his appeal dismissed by the High Court in December 2025, and was subsequently removed as Leader of the Opposition by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in January 2026.

Han's work addresses inequality in Singapore across multiple dimensions.

Housing

While Han has not focused on housing policy as a primary area of expertise, her broader critique of Singapore's social contract encompasses the contradictions within the HDB system. She is aware of arguments that public housing subsidies, meant to be socially distributive, have in fact contributed to intensifying wealth inequality across generations. She has also highlighted discrimination in housing policy — for example, the disadvantages faced by unwed single parents and same-sex couples in accessing public housing.

Multiple Singapores

A central theme of Han's work is the existence of multiple, radically different experiences of Singapore depending on one's social position. In her book and journalism, she has written about:

"A Singapore for the rich, a Singapore for the poor"
"A Singapore for citizens, a Singapore for migrant workers"
"A Singapore for the Chinese, a Singapore for ethnic minorities"
"A Singapore for the powerful, a Singapore for those who dissent"

This framing challenges the dominant narrative of Singapore as a uniformly prosperous, meritocratic society and insists on the visibility of those who fall through the cracks.

Support for Marginalised Groups

Han has been described as providing vocal support for migrant and domestic workers, sex workers, single parents, and diverse family structures. Her journalism consistently centres the experiences of people at the margins of Singaporean society.

3.11 Environmental Issues

Han's engagement with environmental issues has focused primarily on the intersection of environmentalism with civil liberties and the constraints on environmental activism in Singapore.

Climate Activism Under Constraints

Han has written about how climate change activists in Singapore must navigate strict protest laws. In a 2020 Al Jazeera article, she covered how environmental activists tested Singapore's strict protest laws, highlighting the tension between the urgency of the climate crisis and the legal restrictions on public assembly and protest.

Critique of Singapore's Environmental Strategy

Han has criticised the Singapore government's environmental strategy for its overemphasis on flora over fauna, arguing that the emphasis on greenery was too interventionist and contrived, having more to do with aesthetic reasons — the "Garden City" image — than genuine environmental protection.

Protest as Environmental Action

More broadly, Han argues that the right to protest and the right to dissent are themselves essential to environmental protection, because without the ability to organise, demonstrate, and challenge government and corporate decisions, citizens have no effective means of holding power accountable on environmental issues.

3.12 Drug Policy and Harm Reduction

Building on her death penalty work, Han has developed a sophisticated critique of Singapore's broader drug policy framework.

Critique of the "War on Drugs"

Han argues that Singapore developed "an addiction to punishment, fooling itself into thinking punishment is a solution and mistaking its own people for enemy combatants." The "war on drugs" framework, in her view:

Leaves people traumatised and shattered by burying them under messages of rejection, shame, and blame
Disrupts lives, relationships, and jobs through mandatory drug detention or imprisonment
Creates prejudice and judgment that blocks people from accessing healthcare or harm reduction services

Support for Harm Reduction

Han advocates for harm reduction approaches — needle exchanges, drug checking services, safe consumption rooms, and other evidence-based interventions that reduce the harms associated with drug use without requiring abstinence as a precondition. She has attended international conferences on harm reduction, including the Harm Reduction International conference in 2023, where she visited centres providing frontline harm reduction services.

She has noted that "there is a lot of space between heavy-handed criminal prohibition and hands-off commercial legalisation," but that in Singapore, the drug policy debate is presented as a simple binary — zero tolerance or drug anarchy — with no room for the nuanced, evidence-based approaches that many countries and international bodies advocate.

International Evidence

Han frequently cites international evidence against the "war on drugs" approach. She references the positions of groups like Christian Aid, Nobel Prize-winning economists, and the Global Commission on Drug Policy, all of which have concluded that criminalisation, arrests, harsh punishments, and prohibition are not solving drug-related problems.

Han's Altering States newsletter is dedicated to exploring these themes in depth, covering international drug policy developments and critiquing Singapore's approach from the perspective of someone unlearning the "zero tolerance" narratives she was raised on.

3.13 Racial Justice and Ethnic Minorities

Han has addressed racial issues in Singapore through both specific commentary and her broader framing of multiple Singapores.

The Erasure of Ethnic Minorities

In a Foreign Policy article about the film Crazy Rich Asians, Han criticised how the movie erased Singapore's sizeable non-Chinese population — 15 percent of the island's citizens are Malay, and 6.6 percent are Indian — relegating the country's ethnic minorities to backdrop characters. She used the film as a lens to discuss broader patterns of Chinese-majority dominance and minority marginalisation in Singapore.

Systemic Racism

Han has argued that racism in Singapore is not merely a matter of individual prejudice but is embedded in institutional structures and policies. She has connected issues of racial justice to her broader critique of Singapore's social contract, arguing that ethnic minorities face compounding disadvantages in housing, employment, education, and political representation.

Intersectionality

Han's approach to racial justice is intersectional — she links racial discrimination to class inequality, migrant worker exploitation, and the treatment of religious minorities. Her advocacy for migrant workers, many of whom are from South Asian countries, is informed by an awareness of how racial hierarchies shape their treatment in Singapore.

4. Public Quotations

On the Death Penalty

"The speed of these executions this year is really astonishing." — On the wave of executions in 2022

"The merciless pace of executions has been a huge source of distress. There isn't enough time to process or grieve one hanging before another comes again. It's horrific." — On the emotional toll of Singapore's execution spree

"The people who ended up on death row tended to be drug mules or low-level sellers from already vulnerable or marginalised communities, and not big-time leaders of syndicates." — On the disproportionate impact of the death penalty

On POFMA and Press Freedom

"The problems that tech companies have had with fake news and hate speech have given governments a good opportunity to justify the need for such laws." — On the global trend of "fake news" legislation

"[The bill] grants ministers so much discretion to demand corrections, takedowns and access to be blocked." — On POFMA's design

"While still committed to writing about human rights issues, I'm not keen to walk straight into getting POFMA-ed, or charged for deliberately spreading falsehoods. This uncertainty and concern led me to drag my heels on this story for much longer than I would otherwise have had." — On POFMA's chilling effect on her own journalism

"If you're someone who wants to leave Hong Kong because you're troubled by the erosion of civil liberties like freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press — why would you come to Singapore?" — On Singapore as a supposed alternative to Hong Kong for press freedom

On LGBTQ+ Rights

"If you aren't interested in ensuring that your LGBTQ+ friends have equal rights as you, and aren't singled out by discriminatory legislation and policies that deprive them of things like equal access to housing, then you aren't really their friend." — On performative allyship

"I understand that many parliamentarians have gay friends but don't think it's all that important for those friends to have equal rights. Basically, there are a lot of LGBTQ+ people out there who need better friends." — On the parliamentary debate on Section 377A

"While Section 377A is gone, the discrimination that it legitimised with its existence is still here to stay." — On the repeal of Section 377A

On Civil Society and Activism

"The entrenched system instils fear, making progress for civil society slow and difficult." — CIVICUS interview

"500,000 people on the streets is not a useful way to measure the strength, maturity, and success of a country's civil society." — On measuring civic health, responding to Shanmugam's mischaracterisation

"Things are not okay. They are not going to be okay." — On the state of rights and democracy

On FICA and Foreign Interference Accusations

"The problem with this whole thing is that Shanmugam insists that FICA won't touch anyone unless they are being used as foreign proxies, but he and his government is the one who gets to decide whether you're a foreign proxy or not." — On FICA's discretionary power

"It takes a great leap in logic to construe this comment as an invitation to bring democracy to Singapore." — Responding to Shanmugam's claim about her meeting with Mahathir

"Throughout the three weeks of raising public awareness [about FICA], I encouraged people to read the bill for themselves, and repeatedly provided the link to the actual text." — Rejecting accusations of running a disinformation campaign against FICA

On Singapore's Drug Policy

"Somewhere along the way in Singapore's decades-long drug war, the country developed an addiction to punishment, fooling itself into thinking punishment is a solution and mistaking its own people for enemy combatants." — On the war on drugs

"There is a lot of space between heavy-handed criminal prohibition and hands-off commercial legalisation." — On the false binary in drug policy discourse

On Identity and Journalism

"Am I a journalist?" — Reflecting on the boundary between journalism and activism

"There are many, many Singapores: a Singapore for the rich, a Singapore for the poor, a Singapore for citizens, a Singapore for migrant workers, a Singapore for the Chinese, a Singapore for ethnic minorities, a Singapore for the powerful, a Singapore for those who dissent." — From The Singapore I Recognise

On Young Singaporeans and Politics

"What does it do to our society when young Singaporeans are openly warned away from politics as if it's something dangerous to be afraid of?" — On Hwa Chong Institution's email to students during GE2020

5. Key Campaigns and Interventions

5.1 The Yong Vui Kong Campaign (2010–2013)

Han's first major campaign. She co-founded We Believe in Second Chances to advocate for the life of Yong Vui Kong, a 19-year-old Malaysian drug mule sentenced to mandatory death. The campaign contributed to broader advocacy that led to the 2012 legislative amendments abolishing the mandatory death penalty under certain circumstances. Yong's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and caning in November 2013.

5.2 The Nagaenthran Campaign (2021–2022)

Han and the Transformative Justice Collective mounted a major public advocacy campaign to prevent the execution of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, a Malaysian national with an IQ of 69. They raised over $14,000 in two days to support his family's travel to Singapore. The campaign attracted international attention from the EU, UN human rights bodies, and global media. Despite these efforts, Nagaenthran was executed on 27 April 2022.

5.3 The Anti-Execution Protests at Hong Lim Park (2022)

When Singapore resumed executions in 2022 with the hanging of Abdul Kahar Othman, approximately 400 Singaporeans gathered at Speakers' Corner to protest. Han was among the organisers and participants. The protest was notable as one of the largest demonstrations at Hong Lim Park in years, suggesting growing public discomfort with the death penalty.

5.4 The Candlelight Vigil Campaign (2022)

Han and Rocky Howe organised small-scale vigils near Changi Prison ahead of scheduled executions, including wearing anti-death penalty t-shirts and holding signs reading "End oppression, not life." These actions, while modest in scale, were significant in the Singaporean context, where even small unauthorised gatherings can trigger police investigation.

5.5 The POFMA Tracker

Han created and maintains a tracker documenting all POFMA correction directions issued by the Singapore government. This resource has become an important civic tool, providing a comprehensive record of how the law has been used and enabling analysis of patterns in its application.

5.6 Election Manifesto Compilations

For both GE2020 and GE2025, Han compiled comprehensive spreadsheets of all party manifestos, making them accessible in a single consolidated resource. These voter education tools were widely shared and used.

5.7 Migrant Worker Advocacy During COVID-19

Han's Foreign Policy article and related coverage during the COVID-19 dormitory crisis in 2020 helped shape international understanding of the conditions faced by migrant workers in Singapore and put pressure on the government to improve its response.

5.8 The FICA Public Awareness Campaign (2021)

During the three weeks before FICA was passed, Han conducted a public awareness campaign, encouraging Singaporeans to read the bill for themselves and sharing excerpts of the text on social media. This campaign was later cited by Minister Shanmugam as evidence of a "disinformation campaign," an accusation Han forcefully rejected.

6. Controversies and Government Responses

6.1 POFMA Correction Directions

Han has been the subject of multiple POFMA correction directions:

January 2020 — Execution Methods: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a correction direction to Han over a Facebook post linking to the website of Malaysian human rights group Lawyers for Liberty, which alleged that Singapore prison officers were directed to break the necks of death row inmates if executions were botched. Han was given approximately 24 hours to post a correction notice. She complied, adding the government-mandated notice at the top of her Facebook post, but also added commentary below it expressing concern about the use of POFMA in such cases. Yahoo Singapore and The Online Citizen also received correction directions for the same content.

May 2023 — Tangaraju Suppiah: MHA issued POFMA correction directions to Han, The Online Citizen Asia, and former lawyer M. Ravi over statements made about the execution of Tangaraju Suppiah. The directions were issued at the instruction of Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo. MHA identified false statements in Han's Facebook posts published between 19 and 22 April, an article on We, The Citizens from 19 April, and a Twitter post from 19 April. The government disputed allegations about due process failures in Tangaraju's case, including claims about lack of legal representation and interpreter access during interrogation.

6.2 The New Naratif Funding Controversy

When New Naratif accepted a grant from a foundation associated with George Soros's Open Society Foundation, the Singapore government framed the platform as a vehicle of foreign interference. ACRA refused to register the organisation in Singapore, saying it would be "contrary to Singapore's national interests." During the 2020 general election, New Naratif was investigated by police for allegedly publishing paid Facebook advertisements. After a lengthy investigation with the concurrence of the Attorney-General's Chambers, New Naratif was cleared of all allegations.

Han defended New Naratif's acceptance of foreign funding, clarifying that the platform received grants following applications through proper channels and that "we don't take money if the funder wants to influence or control editorial decisions."

6.3 Shanmugam's Parliamentary Attacks

Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam has publicly targeted Han on multiple occasions:

September 2019 — "Getting Singaporeans on the streets": Shanmugam quoted Han as describing a social movement involving "the work that goes into potentially one day having 500,000 people in the streets." Han disputed this interpretation, clarifying that her actual point was that 500,000 people on the streets is not a useful measure of civil society health — what matters more are communities, networks, and solidarity.

October 2021 — FICA Debate: During his second reading speech for the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill, Shanmugam attacked Han alongside PJ Thum and Terry Xu. He accused her of being "actively trying to put out misinformation" and cited her 2018 meeting with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, claiming she had been engaging in foreign interference by urging Mahathir to "bring democracy to Singapore."

Han responded that the claim was "just false," explaining that she had asked Mahathir "to take leadership in Southeast Asia for the promotion of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, and freedom of information" — which she argued was not an odd thing to ask of a Southeast Asian leader.

Shanmugam also painted Han and her colleagues as running a "disinformation campaign" against FICA motivated by self-interested desires for foreign funding. Han rejected this, stating she had consistently encouraged people to read the bill's actual text for themselves.

Parliamentary Reading of Email Address: A government minister publicly read out Han's email address in Parliament while accusing her of helping a death row prisoner's mother file a legal application, an action that Han and her supporters viewed as an act of intimidation designed to expose her to harassment.

6.4 Police Investigation — Candlelight Vigil (2022)

On 24 June 2022, Singapore police interrogated Kirsten Han and Rocky Howe for potential offences under the Public Order Act in relation to two incidents:

A four-person candlelight vigil outside Changi Prison on the night Abdul Kahar Othman was executed
Han and Howe taking a photograph together outside Changi Prison wearing anti-death penalty t-shirts, with Howe holding a sign reading "End oppression, not life"

During the police interrogation, Han and Howe wore anti-death penalty t-shirts, which were confiscated by police upon their arrival. The investigation drew condemnation from international human rights organisations:

Human Rights Watch called on Singapore to "drop investigations and cease harassment against human rights defenders"
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) issued a similar call
ARTICLE 19 demanded Singapore "cease harassment of human rights defenders"
Front Line Defenders documented the case
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders issued a joint communication about the investigation

Rocky Howe subsequently filed a case at the High Court in September 2022 seeking a declaration on alleged abuse of power by police in its "illegal procession" investigation.

6.5 Forum-Asia Statement

In October 2019, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) published a statement titled "Singapore: End state-sanctioned disinformation campaign against Kirsten Han," expressing concern over what it described as government-sanctioned harassment and disinformation directed at Han.

6.6 MFA Rebuttal of Foreign Policy Article

After Han's May 2020 Foreign Policy article "Singapore Is Trying to Forget Migrant Workers Are People," Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote a letter to the editor rebutting her characterisation of the government's treatment of migrant workers during COVID-19.

6.7 Pro-Government Online Attacks

Han has described being the target of sustained online harassment, often amplified by pro-government media outlets and commentators. Singapore Ink and SG Matters, pro-government websites, have published articles questioning Han's motives, her funding sources, and her loyalty to Singapore. Her book The Singapore I Recognise documents her experience of false accusations, smear campaigns, and online harassment, "often started by politicians in the People's Action Party and made worse by mainstream media."

7. International Profile and Recognition

7.1 Awards

2016: Advocate of the Year, Singapore Advocacy Awards
2016: Champion for Gender Equality and Justice, AWARE Awards
2018: Honourable Mention, World Justice Project Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism
2019: Human Rights Press Award for commentaries on "fake news" and freedom of expression in Singapore
2024: First Prize, Portside Review Human Rights Essay Prize, for "Singapore Will Always Be At War"

7.2 International Publications

Han's bylines in major international publications — The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Foreign Policy, Al Jazeera, Rest of World, MIT Technology Review, Hong Kong Free Press, and many others — give her an international platform that few Singaporean journalists or activists can match. This international profile is both a source of influence (it allows her to shape international perceptions of Singapore) and a source of vulnerability (the government has pointed to her international platform as evidence of foreign interference or anti-Singapore bias).

7.3 Speaking Engagements

Han has spoken at numerous international events and institutions:

Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (2025) — Hosted events and moderated panels, including "The War Women Must Wage"
Edinburgh Law School — Talk on "The Thin Line Between Disinformation and Freedom of Expression"
Yale-NUS College — Press Freedom & Democracy Forum (CAPE)
Oxford University Law Faculty — Death Penalty Research Unit Q&A series
Harm Reduction International Conference (2023, Australia)
Various international conferences and academic institutions on press freedom, the death penalty, drug policy, and civil liberties in Southeast Asia

7.4 International Advocacy Networks

Han is connected to a broad network of international human rights and press freedom organisations:

Front Line Defenders — Has documented threats against her
Forum-Asia — Has issued statements in her defence
Human Rights Watch — Has called for investigations against her to be dropped
International Commission of Jurists — Has advocated on her behalf
ARTICLE 19 — Has demanded cessation of harassment against her
CIVICUS — Has published interviews with her
Amnesty International — Has referenced her work in Singapore death penalty advocacy
International Centre on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) — Lists her as a contributor

7.5 The Diplomat Interview (2023)

In January 2023, The Diplomat published a major interview with Han titled "Kirsten Han on the Fight to Abolish the Death Penalty in Singapore," which provided an extensive overview of her abolitionist work and philosophy.

8. Published Works

8.1 The Singapore I Recognise: Essays on Home, Community and Hope (2023)

Published by Ethos Books, this is Han's first book — a collection of essays that combines reflexive memoir with incisive reporting. The book covers a decade of her activism and journalism, revealing aspects of Singapore that diverge from the conventional "Singapore Story."

Key themes:

The experience of being a Singaporean activist who has been on the receiving end of false accusations, smear campaigns, and online harassment, often started by PAP politicians and amplified by mainstream media
The existence of multiple Singapores — for the rich and poor, citizens and migrants, the powerful and the dissenting
The humanity of people caught under Singapore's punitive laws
The difficulty of changemaking in Singapore and the accompanying fear, gaslighting, and intimidation
Communities and individuals moving towards communal care, solidarity, empowerment, and hope
A candid account of contemporary civil society history

The book has been described as part reflexive memoir and part incisive reporting that helps readers understand the contradictions, tensions, and power plays integral to the Singapore story.

Reviews and reception:

Reviewed positively in Jom Media, which described it as "a reckoning with civil society's experiences of Singapore — perspectives that are often unheard or fall through the cracks"
Reviewed by multiple blogs and literary outlets
Featured at literary festivals including the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

8.2 Singapore Will Always Be At War (2024)

Winner of the Portside Review Human Rights Essay Prize, this essay focuses on Singapore's war on drugs and its use of capital punishment for drug offences. It shares the story of Han's activism alongside the stories of people caught in the system, providing expert testimony on the challenges that have made Singapore "develop calluses on the heart." Published by Epigram Books as part of its Rational Conversations series and in Portside Review's thirteenth issue.

8.3 Medium Essays

Han has published multiple substantial essays on Medium under the handle @kixes:

"Untracing the Conspiracy: The story of Operation Spectrum"
"30 years on, it's time for the truth about Operation Spectrum"
"The Silhouette of Oppression" — A reflection on Singapore and politics
"Framing the debate: The death penalty for drugs in Singapore"
"Apprentice: the film and the death penalty"
"A Father's Relief"
"May 13 and Singapore Today"

8.4 Notable Articles (Selected)

"Singapore Is Trying to Forget Migrant Workers Are People" — Foreign Policy, May 2020
"Singapore wants to kill, but it doesn't want anyone talking about it" — Hong Kong Free Press, July 2022
"Singapore's new anti-foreign interference law is troubling. I should know, I'm a target" — Rest of World, 2021
"If Singapore Wants to Debate the Death Penalty, Talk To Us — Not Richard Branson" — The News Lens International
"From Victims To Villains: Singapore's War on Drugs" — The News Lens International
"Singapore Scapegoats Doctors and Drug Users — And Rejects Real Solutions" — The News Lens International
"Pink Dot, Speakers' Corner and the Death of Singapore's Only Space for Dissent" — The News Lens International
"Things we don't know about the Death Penalty in Singapore" — Popula, December 2019
"The Mandatory Death Penalty: A Blinkered Policy" — HuffPost
"Why We Challenged Singapore's 'Fake News' Legislation" — The Nation
"Hollywood Has No Time for Crazy Poor Asians" — Foreign Policy, August 2018
"Can We Expect More From Singapore's PAP on Race?" — The News Lens International
"Lies, accountability, double standards, and power in Singapore" — We, The Citizens
"Singapore's Elections See Opposition Victories, but Will Change Follow?" — Foreign Policy, July 2020
"Goodbye and good riddance, Section 377A!" — We, The Citizens
"It's not enough to get rid of S377A" — We, The Citizens
"In acting freely, we are becoming free" — personal blog, June 2022
"On accusations and gaslighting" — personal blog, September 2019
"A response to claims made about me during the FICA debate" — We, The Citizens, October 2021
"It's not going to be okay" — personal blog, November 2024
"Singapore Must Always Have Hope" — personal blog, November 2024

9. Assessment and Significance

9.1 Position in Singapore's Political Landscape

Kirsten Han occupies a distinctive and consequential position in Singapore's political landscape. She is arguably the most internationally visible Singaporean civil society voice, operating at the intersection of journalism, activism, and public commentary in a system that actively discourages all three when directed at the state.

Her significance lies in several dimensions:

As a bridge between domestic and international audiences. Han's ability to publish in major international outlets — The New York Times, The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, The Guardian — gives her a platform to shape international perceptions of Singapore that the government cannot easily control. This makes her both influential and threatening from the government's perspective.

As a persistent voice on issues the mainstream avoids. On the death penalty, migrant workers, civil liberties, and LGBTQ+ rights, Han provides sustained, detailed coverage that Singapore's mainstream media either ignores or covers superficially and from the government's perspective. Her newsletters fill a genuine information gap.

As a target that reveals the system. The government's repeated responses to Han — POFMA correction directions, parliamentary attacks by name, police investigations, accusations of foreign interference — paradoxically validate her significance and illustrate the very dynamics of control and intimidation that she documents. Each attack generates international attention and sympathy, creating a cycle that the government has struggled to manage.

As a community builder. Through We, The Citizens, the Transformative Justice Collective, and her personal advocacy, Han has helped build networks of solidarity among activists, journalists, and concerned citizens. Her emphasis on community over spectacle — "what matters more are the communities, networks, and solidarity" — reflects a strategic approach to civil society building in a hostile environment.

9.2 Intellectual Influences and Framework

Han's intellectual framework draws from several traditions:

Human rights universalism: She rejects the "Asian Values" argument and insists on the universal applicability of civil and political rights
Harm reduction and evidence-based policy: Particularly on drug policy, she centres empirical evidence over ideological claims
Intersectionality: She connects issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, and citizenship status, recognising that marginalisation is compounding
Community organising: Her emphasis on building networks and solidarity over dramatic protest reflects an understanding of how change happens in authoritarian-adjacent systems
Narrative journalism: The influence of her documentary training is evident in her focus on individual stories as vehicles for systemic critique

9.3 Criticisms and Limitations

Han's dual identity as journalist and activist has attracted criticism from multiple directions:

Government and pro-government voices accuse her of bias, foreign interference, and deliberately spreading falsehoods. They argue that her activism compromises her journalism and that her reliance on foreign funding and platforms demonstrates foreign influence.
Some within Singapore's civil society have occasionally questioned whether her international platform and confrontational approach generates more backlash than progress.
Journalistic purists have raised questions about whether her activism role is compatible with journalistic standards of impartiality, a tension Han herself has reflected on publicly ("Am I a journalist?").

Han has addressed these tensions directly, arguing that in a context where mainstream media is structurally aligned with the government, the distinction between "objective journalism" and "activist journalism" is itself a political construct that serves those in power.

9.4 Legacy and Ongoing Significance

As of 2026, Kirsten Han remains one of the most consequential voices in Singapore's civil society. Her continued output through We, The Citizens, Altering States, Mekong Review, and freelance journalism ensures a steady stream of critical coverage that challenges the dominant narrative. Her work with the Transformative Justice Collective continues to provide both practical support for death row families and principled advocacy for abolition.

The broader significance of her career lies in demonstrating that sustained, principled dissent is possible in Singapore, even if it comes at personal and professional cost. Her trajectory — from documentary production assistant to internationally recognised journalist and activist — illustrates a model of civic engagement that may inspire future generations of Singaporeans who share her conviction that there are many Singapores, and that all of them deserve to be seen.

Document compiled from extensive web research including: Wikipedia, Kirsten Han's personal website (kirstenhan.com), We, The Citizens (wethecitizens.net), The Diplomat, Oxford Law Blogs, Mothership.sg, The Independent Singapore, Foreign Policy, Al Jazeera, Lowy Institute, Hong Kong Free Press, Rest of World, The News Lens International, CIVICUS, Forum-Asia, Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch, Portside Review, Jom Media, Mekong Review, Medium, The Online Citizen, Centre for Stories, Edinburgh Law School, Popula, HuffPost, The Nation, Muck Rack, Goodreads, and various other sources.

SG-H-THINK-17 | Kirsten Han — Singapore's Most Visible Dissident Journalist and Abolitionist Activist

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