ISTANBUL

Singapore’s opposition leader, Pritam Singh, appeared in court on Monday to face charges of lying under oath in a landmark trial that marks the first time an opposition leader in Singapore has been prosecuted on such accusations.

Singh, 48, and secretary general of the Workers’ Party, is facing two charges related to statements he allegedly made to a parliamentary committee in November 2021. Prosecutors allege that Singh provided false information regarding his interactions with former Workers’ Party lawmaker Raeesah Khan. The trial, set to last at least 16 days, is expected to conclude on Nov. 13.

The case centers on events from August 2021, when Khan told parliament she had accompanied a rape victim to a police station where authorities mishandled the case. Khan later apologized, admitting that her claims were false and that she did not have the victim’s consent to share the story publicly. The incident led to her resignation from parliament on Nov. 30, 2021.

A subsequent investigation by the Committee of Privileges found that Singh had allegedly “guided” Khan to lie to parliament, an accusation Singh has denied. The committee's findings were based on Khan’s testimony, in which she stated that “no one from the party advised her to tell the truth.”