Tang Fong Har (Chinese:陳鳳霞;pinyin:Chén Fèngxiá; born 1943) is a Singaporean lawyer who was detained on 20 June 1987 by theSingapore government duringOperation Spectrum under theInternal Security Act (ISA).
Tang studied law at theNational University of Singapore and graduated in 1980.[1]
In 1987, Tang was detained by theInternal Security Department (ISD) during Operation Spectrum. She subsequently accused Officer SK Tan of assaulting her during her interrogation andindefinite detention by the Internal Security Department.[2]
Her detention was speculated by many as a means to crushpolitical dissent. In a letter,[2] she states that she was physically abused, kept incommunicado and forced to admit guilt ofsubversion of state. She was later released on 12 September 1987.
In 1988, Tang was granted permission to visit her husband, Peter, a British citizen, in the United Kingdom (UK) between 7 March 1988 to 7 April 1988 but had not returned to Singapore.[3] She was subsequently wanted by theSingapore police for breaching her terms with the ISD for her visit to UK.[3] On 18 April 1988, Tang with eight of the ex-detainees from Operation Spectrum issued a joint statement accusing the government of ill treatment and torture while under detention. They also denied involvement in any conspiracy and alleged that they were pressured into making confessions.[4]
On 8 October 2011, Tang, along with exiled political dissidentFrancis Seow, publicly addressed aSingapore Democratic Party forum from abroad via teleconference.[5] In the address they advocated abolishing the ISA. The Singapore police were investigating the legality of the event the following day.[6]
Tang and her family currently reside inHong Kong.[7]
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