Singapore Convicts Teenager of Obscenity and Insulting Religious Feelings

[rug]

By AUSTIN RAMZY
MAY 12, 2015

HONG KONG — A teenager who posted a video criticizing Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore, was convicted on charges of obscenity and insulting religious feelings by a court in the city-state on Tuesday.

Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Amos Yee, 16, to probation and counseling rather than prison time or a fine. A June 2 hearing has been scheduled for the announcement of his sentence.

His arrest this spring, at a time when many Singaporeans were mourning the March 23 death of Mr. Lee, brought a renewed focus on Singapore’s reputation for tight limits on expression.

Officials there have pursued legal cases against critics and foreign news media outlets including The International Herald Tribune, now the International New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/world/asia/amos-yee-lee-kuan-yew-singapore-convicted.html?_r=0

00:35 video at link.

[RussBLib]

1. kinda weird to think that "insulting religious feelings" is a crime

in Singapore.

Mr. Yee faces a prison term of up to three years on the charge of wounding religious feelings, and up to three months in prison on the obscenity charge.

from Wiki

Article 14 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, specifically Article 14(1), guarantees to Singapore citizens the rights to freedom of speech and expression, peaceful assembly without arms, and association. However, the enjoyment of these rights may be restricted by laws imposed by the Parliament of Singapore on the grounds stated in Article 14(2) of the Constitution.

There are two types of grounds. For the first type, it must be shown that restricting the rights is "necessary or expedient in the interest" of the grounds. The grounds are the security of Singapore and public order (applicable to all three rights protected by Article 14(1)), morality (freedom of speech and freedom of association), and friendly relations with other countries (freedom of speech only).

The right to free speech is limited on the ground of the security of Singapore by the Official Secrets Act (Cap. 213, 1985 Rev. Ed.), and on the ground of public order by the Broadcasting Act (Cap. 28, 2003 Rev. Ed.) and Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Cap. 206, 2002 Rev. Ed.). Public order also justifies restrictions on both free speech and assembly imposed by the Sedition Act (Cap. 290, 1985 Rev. Ed.), Public Entertainments and Meetings Act (Cap. 257, 2001 Rev. Ed.) and Public Order Act (Cap. 257A, 2012 Rev. Ed.); and restrictions on the right to freedom of association imposed by the Societies Act (Cap. 311, 1985 Rev. Ed.). Freedom of speech has also been limited on the basis of morality by the Films Act (Cap. 107, 1998 Rev. Ed.), which establishes film censorship and classification regimes; and the Undesirable Publications Act (Cap. 338, 1998 Rev. Ed.), under which obscene or otherwise objectionable publications may be banned.

Free speech "guaranteed" in Singapore, except for, and, and, and, and, and....

[rug]

2. What is interesting is how insulting a former head of state is transformed into insulting religion.

BTW, his youtube video is available but you have to sign in to watch it.