On December 3, Dr. Chee Soon Juan - Chairman of the Alliance of Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA) and Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) - was admitted to Changi General Hospital due to complaints of nausea reportedly from eating prison food. On November 29, 2006, the World Movement for Democracy issued an alert condemning the jail sentence of Dr. Chee and his colleagues. This alert included concern over Dr. Chee's health, and since that alert, his health has in fact worsened. He is suffering from abdominal pains and his blood pressure was also extremely low the evening he was taken to the hospital. Before going to hospital, he had not eaten since November 26 and was suffering from dehydration. Doctors reportedly still have not ascertained why Dr. Chee is suffering from abdominal pain. Dr. Chee Soon Juan is serving a five-week prison sentence for refusing to pay the a fine for speaking in public without a permit, and will soon face a trial on December 21 for attempting to leave Singapore without a permit (to attend the World Movement's Fourth Assembly in Istanbul), as well as another pre-trial on January 4 for a suit brought against his family.

The World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA) emphasizes that Dr. Chee's imprisonment is just one case that represents ongoing problems in Singapore. In recent weeks, amendments to the Penal Code have been drafted to further restrict and criminalize many forms of speech, including Internet content, drawing complaints from several international media organizations. In September, the Far Eastern Economic Review was banned, and accredited civil society representatives from many countries were refused entry for the IMF/World Bank meetings. The WFDA asks that individuals concerned about Dr. Chee write on his behalf to the responsible Singaporean official, Mr. Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, as well as to local Singaporean Embassies in their countries. The postal address for Mr. Wong Kan Seng is Ministry of Home Affairs, New Phoenix Park, 28 Irrawaddy Road, Singapore 329560. The telephone number is (65) 6478 7010, and the fax number is (65) 6254 6250. Letters can also be sent by email to mha_feedback@mha.gov.sg.

• Statement made by WFDA
• More information on Dr. Chee's health