The Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) has announced a suspension of its website and social media operations until December 2026.
The decision comes in response to a notice received on 20 December 2024 from Singapore’s POFMA Office, designating several of TJC’s platforms as “Declared Online Locations” (DOLs).
The affected platforms include TJC’s official website (transformativejusticecollective.org) and accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
This designation under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) carries significant legal implications. According to TJC, the designation imposes criminal liabilities on both the organisation and its donors for content published or operations conducted on these platforms.
In a statement, TJC described the decision as “very difficult” but necessary to protect members and supporters from legal repercussions. The organisation stated that the decision was made “with a very heavy heart” and emphasised the challenges posed by the DOL status.
Legal Implications of DOL Status
Under POFMA Section 32, the Minister for Digital Development and Information may declare an online platform as a DOL if at least three distinct false statements have been published there within six months, accompanied by active POFMA correction or stop-communication directions.
The penalties for non-compliance with DOL-related obligations are severe:
- Individuals operating or maintaining a DOL may face fines of up to S$40,000, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
- Entities, such as companies or organisations, may be fined up to S$500,000.
DOL operators are also required to prominently display a notice on their platforms stating their designation, as mandated by Section 32(3)(f). Failure to comply with this notice requirement, or to block public access, may result in further penalties, including access-blocking orders issued to internet service providers.
Additionally, individuals who financially support or derive material benefit from a DOL could face fines and imprisonment under POFMA Section 36, which prohibits funding or benefiting from DOL activities. Furthermore, individuals facilitating the communication of paid content on DOLs may also face penalties under Section 37.
Impact on TJC’s Work
Since its inception, TJC has focused on issues such as the death penalty, drug policy, and systemic injustices within Singapore’s legal and judicial systems. The group has also served as a platform for marginalised voices, including those of death row prisoners, their families, and other vulnerable communities.
In its statement, TJC criticised Singapore’s legal framework, calling it “oppressive” and accusing the government of suppressing free speech. The collective expressed its commitment to finding alternative ways to continue its advocacy work during the DOL period, stressing the importance of free expression and access to independent information in achieving social justice.
TJC also addressed the broader implications of POFMA, alleging that such laws curtail online freedoms and democratic discourse. “Our authoritarian government knows this too,” the statement read, accusing the state of seeking to limit public awareness and discussion of systemic injustices.
Plans for the Future
While TJC’s affected platforms will remain inactive until the DOL designation expires in December 2026, the organisation assured supporters that its work would continue on other platforms. It encouraged its audience to seek out alternative spaces for engagement and remain informed.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to resuming full operations from January 2027, signalling its determination to persist in its advocacy for civil liberties and justice.
In the interim, TJC called on supporters to remain vigilant, continue educating themselves, and actively participate in dialogues on democracy and justice. “The remedy to this unfreedom is for us to persist in seeking out the truth they don’t want us to hear,” the statement concluded.
