(New York) – Singapore’s Attorney General’s Chambers should cease using contempt of court charges to muzzle critics of the judiciary, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should revoke the antiquated contempt offense that permits prison sentences and fines for “scandalizing the judiciary.”
“Singaporean authorities must be incredibly thin-skinned to charge a political cartoonist with contempt of court, getting their way with threats of possible prison time and fines,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director. “The government should lighten up, and promote the internationally recognized right to free expression by removing contempt by ‘scandalizing the judiciary.’” Full story
