Singapore legislation
Section 30
Section 30
Communications stop orders
(1)
Subject to subsection (2), the Commissioner may, after granting a special authorisation, make a communications stop order which bans one or both of the following during the period specified in the order:
the making by any person (except an excluded person) of a relevant film or picture; (b)the exhibiting and communicating by any person (except an excluded person) of a relevant film or picture or a relevant text or audio message.
(2)
The Commissioner may make a communications stop order only —
during the period a special authorisation (which is granted in relation to a serious incident or threatened serious incident) is in effect; and (b)if, in the Commissioner’s opinion, exhibiting or communicating (whether or not to the public) a relevant film or picture or a relevant text or audio message during the period the special authorisation is in effect —
prejudices the effective conduct of an ongoing law enforcement activity relating to the serious incident or threatened serious incident; or
endangers the safety of the public or any law enforcement officer during an ongoing law enforcement activity relating to the serious incident or threatened serious incident.
(3)
A communications stop order must —
describe the ban on —
the making or exhibiting and communicating of a relevant film or picture by any person; or
the exhibiting and communicating of a relevant text or audio message by any person; (b)state the period the ban under the order starts; and
the target area of the special authorisation to which the order relates.
(4)
The Commissioner must cause notice of every communications stop order made to be given to persons who, in the Commissioner’s opinion, ought to have notice of the order.
(5)
Without limiting subsection (4), notice of the making of a communications stop order to the public may be given in all or any of the following ways: (a)by causing it to be published in the daily newspapers circulating in Singapore in all the official languages; (b)by causing it to be broadcast over the radio and television and in the manner prescribed, if any; (c)by causing it to be published electronically;
by causing it to be published in such other manner as the Commissioner considers will secure adequate publicity for the granting of the order.
(6)
A communications stop order may be revoked at any time by the Commissioner; and the Commissioner must give notice, or cause the giving of notice, of the revocation in the same manner in which the communications stop order was first given.
(7)
Despite subsection (6), a communications stop order ceases to have effect when the special authorisation in relation to which the order was made ceases to have effect; and the Commissioner must give notice, or cause the giving of notice, of the cessation in the same manner in which the communications stop order was first given.
(8)
In subsection (1) and sections 31 and 44, “excluded person” means —
a police officer; (b)a law enforcement officer authorised by the Commissioner for the purpose of this section; or
any other person who is specified in a communications stop order to be an excluded person for the purpose of this section.