Police harass guests, organisers at book launch
(SEAPA/IFEX) – At the 9 July 2005 launch of the latest book by Singaporean opposition leader Chee Soon Juan, police harassed guests and organisers, reports coming from the city state say. Plainclothes officers were seen videotaping the proceedings while the Singapore Democratic Party website noted that after the launch, policemen questioned guests and confiscated videos […]
Filmmaker called in for questioning, under investigation
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Singaporean filmmaker Martyn See has been invited for questioning by the police, news agencies have reported, two months after his documentary on a Singaporean opposition figure was forced out of a film festival in the city-state. See, 36, told Reuters that he is expected to present himself before the country’s police on 16 […]
CPJ alarmed that threat of legal action is being used to inhibit criticism of the government in cyberspace
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 5 May 2005 CPJ press release: SINGAPORE: Web log shuts down after government threat of legal action New York, May 5, 2005 – The threat of legal action has prompted Singaporean blogger Jiahao Chen to shut down his site and post an apology for comments criticizing a government agency […]
Student forced to shut down blog following libel threat
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed support for a Singaporean student who was forced to shut down his blog on 26 April 2005 for fear of libel action by the head of a government body. The organisation warned that “such intimidation could make the country’s blogs as timid and obedient as the traditional media.” “Threatening a […]
Director withdraws documentary from festival on government “advice”
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Threats of imprisonment and crippling fines have prompted a Singaporean filmmaker to pull his movie from Singapore’s annual film festival. News reports on 22 March 2005 said director Martyn See’s documentary about Singaporean opposition leader Chee Soon Juan was deemed too political by the city-state’s Board of Film Censors. The board informed the […]
RSF calls for investigation into hacker attack on online discussion forum “Singapore Review”
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on the Singaporean authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to find out who was responsible for a hacker attack on the “Singapore Review”, an online discussion forum carrying messages critical of the government. The attack occurred on 6 October 2003, two days after the discussion forum was the subject of […]
High Court denies journalists’ right to protect sources
(RSF/IFEX) – On 19 August 2002, RSF voiced its concern about a High Court judge’s recent ruling that journalists do not have the right to protect their sources. Pointing out that the protection of sources was already constrained by very strict defamation legislation, RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard described the ruling as an “aggravating factor” that […]
CPJ alarmed by move to restrict foreign broadcasters
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 19 April 2001 CPJ press release: CPJ Alarmed by Singapore Move to Restrict Foreign Broadcasters New York, April 19, 2001 — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed by the Singapore Parliament’s passage today of a bill designed to curb foreign broadcasters’ coverage of local issues. The new […]
New law seen as censorship threat to foreign broadcasting
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: New Law is Censorship Threat to Foreign Broadcasting in Singapore The latest attempt by the Singapore government to limit critical debate takes the form of legislation, to be passed today, permitting the authorities to declare that any foreign broadcasting service is “engaging in the […]
Christopher Lingle and “International Herald Tribune” found guilty
**Updates IFEX CH alert dated 22 November 1994** On 17 January, the Singapore High Court found guilty of contempt of court: American academic and former National University of Singapore professor Christopher Lingle; Richard McClean, publisher and chief executive of the “International Herald Tribune” (IHT) in Paris; and Michael Richardson, the Singapore- based Asia editor of […]