Laws restricting the freedom of speech are justified by claims that they are intended to prohibit speech that may breed ill will or cause disharmony within Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious society. For example, in September 2005, three bloggers were convicted of sedition for posting racist remarks targeting minorities.
Some offences can lead to heavy fines or caning and there are laws which allow capital punishment in Singapore for first-degree murder and drug trafficking.
Amnesty International has criticized Singapore for having "possibly the highest execution rate in the world" per capital. The Singapore Government responded by asserting it had the right as a sovereign state to impose the death penalty for serious offences.