A British author Alan Shadrake, 76, is the latest victim of a worldwide trend of attacks on free speech. Shadrake wrote a book entitled Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore’s Justice in the Dock detailing the inequities and unfairness of the Singapore justice system. The response of Singapore’s courts was to convict Shadrake and throw him in jail for contempt. The abusive case should be a rallying point for civil libertarians around the world, not to mention any Singaporeans who value free speech and the rule of law. The Singapore government compounded the abuse by banning the book.
What is most disgraceful is that the Singapore Court of Appeal upheld the contempt conviction and six-week jail sentence. Because Shadrake cannot pay the $16,000 fine, he will remain in jail.
The basis for the conviction was the view of members of the Singapore High Court that the book included “half-truths and selective facts; sometimes even outright falsehoods.”
In the United States, you cannot defame a court system. Moreover, citizens are allowed to be critical of their government and given added protections in speaking against both public figures and public officials. Then there is the problem of being held for contempt when you are not a party before a court at the time.
I would call for the British government to take firm action (not that they listen to me), but England has become one of the country’s where free speech in most under attack (here and here and here).
Lawyers, authors, and good government advocates should rally around Shadrake. I am not particularly concerned about the merits of his criticism as much as his ability to voice them.
Reporters Without Borders has launched a worldwide campaign and petition on behalf of Shadrake.
Jonathan Turley
This is why our government limited the contempt powers of the federal courts in 1831 after Judge Peck jailed Luke Edward Lawless for writing an article criticizing a ruling.
I think I am the only person who was since jailed for criticizing a federal judge. I complained to one judge that another judge dismissed my case without an opinion.
I guess a lot of people really don’t get what Singapore is all about. I’m amazed that people set foot in Singapore without really processing what they are stepping into. “But, they have shopping malls and speak English! How bad could it be?”
Presumably this Mr. Shadrake knew what he was doing by releasing this book, and then willingly entering Singapore. I hope the government there is smart enough to see to it that this guy isn’t abused while in jail, but who knows.
Singapore sure demonstrated Shadrake’s point.
The basis for the conviction was the view of members of the Singapore High Court that the book included “half-truths and selective facts; sometimes even outright falsehoods.”…….
and you think it only happens there….huh….
AY:FYI
http://www.theroot.com/views/legacy-greenwood?GT1=38002
Remember when they caned that 16 YO American kid? Remember how excited the wingnuts got? They really held the Singapore justice system up as a model to be proud of. Despite the fact they held the kid incommunicado, in an intentionally freezing room, didn’t let him sleep and hounded him until he confessed. Yeah, the kid might have been a dick (I don’t know but he was portrayed that way in our worthless, shock-jock driven, media) and he may have done the crime (graffiti) but his treatment was still outrageous.
But, like the Chinese model, there is something about the authoritarian, heavy-handed, abusive justice system that works better than those little blue pills for the wingnuts.
My suggestion is to boycott Singapore. It may have great food and shopping but it is a nasty little despotism ruled by a corrupt oligarchy that does not tolerate criticism precisely because there is so much deserving of it. If you know that a business is Singapore based then refrain from patronizing it unless the cost of doing so is unreasonable.
Don’t travel to Singapore, if you fly elsewhere don’t stop over in Singapore and encourage others to whom you speak to do likewise.