Singapore
Singapore on Monday confirmed it denied entry to Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law over the weekend, saying his presence was “not in the country’s national interests.” Law, holding a UK refugee travel document, said he was stopped at immigration after arriving at Changi Airport from San Francisco on Saturday and was sent back to the United States the next day.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said entry into Singapore is subject to checks at the point of arrival, even with a valid visa. “Law’s entry into and presence in the country would not be in Singapore’s national interests,” the ministry stated. Upon arrival, Law was “referred for questioning, and immigration and security assessment” before being refused entry and placed on the earliest flight back to San Francisco on September 28.
Law said he had been granted a Singapore visa weeks earlier to attend a “closed-door, invitation-only event” and submitted all required information. He expressed surprise at being detained for about 14 hours and not given a clear reason for the decision. Law suggested the move may be political, hinting at possible external influence from China.
Law was a student leader of Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement and fled the city in 2020 after Beijing imposed a National Security Law and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Since then, he has lived in exile in the UK and the US. Singapore has previously denied entry to foreign activists, stating it does not allow political activities within its territory.