Singabloodypore

"Before this incident, I was just Gopalan Nair. Who? ... But after this case, (Singaporean leaders) have made me more popular. They made my blog popular. They've given publicity to my cause," he said.

Singapore Dissident.

By Linh Tat
The Argus


FREMONT — Immigration attorney Gopalan Nair returned to the Bay Area this week after six months in Singapore, where he was imprisoned for two months after being convicted of sedition.

Nair, a San Jose resident who practices law in Fremont — in an office above The Argus — maintained his innocence Friday and continued to lash out at the Singaporean government as being corrupt.

The 58-year-old had traveled to his homeland in May to observe the defamation trial of some opposition political leaders.

Afterward, he criticized the High Court judge, Belinda Ang, as a "stooge" for the country's leader, Lee Kuan Yew. She was "prostituting herself during the entire proceedings, by being nothing more than an employee of Lee Kuan Yew and his son and carrying out their orders," he wrote in a May 29 blog entry.

Friday, he pulled out his Webster's dictionary to explain what he meant by prostitute: "a person ... who sells his or her services for low or unworthy purposes."

Nair said he did not mean the judge engaged in sexual activities, but that she had misused her powers.

"Those words were strong, no doubt. But ... those words were necessary because this judge was ... shamelessly abusing her authority," he said.

"She was not carrying out her duties in a judicial manner."

In the same blog entry, Nair seemingly challenged the court by providing his name and the name and address of the hotel at which he was staying, stating that, "It will be interesting to see if ... Lee Kuan Yew and son, who strut around ... bullying everyone who so much as criticized (them), will sue me now for calling him nothing more than a small time street bully."

Nair was arrested at the hotel May 31 and spent several days in solitary confinement, during which time police officers would interrogate him at odd hours of the night to try to get him to confess to e-mailing the judge with threatening letters, he said. He has continued to deny that accusation.

The immigration attorney posted bail about a week after his arrest, and a trial date was set for September. But Nair said authorities confiscated his passport, forcing him to remain in the area.

Homeless, Nair at one point slept in a warehouse and developed a respiratory problem that landed him in a hospital for five days, he said.
On July 4, while awaiting trial, Nair was arrested again — this time for disorderly conduct and insulting an officer. He denied both claims, saying he was walking alone on the street when five plainclothes officers attacked him. Nevertheless, Nair was found guilty and fined $3,000.

As for the sedition charge, despite his insistence that he had used the term "prostituting" correctly and that he never sent threatening e-mails to the judge, Nair was sentenced in September to three months in jail. After serving two months, he was released Nov. 20 for good behavior.

A week before his release, Nair said authorities accused him being contemptuous in court during the trial regarding his July 4 arrest. Because he did not want to jeopardize his chances of being released, Nair said he pleaded guilty and agreed never to criticize the government on his blog again. He also agreed to remove controversial entries he had posted Sept. 1 and 6.

But on Friday, he said he plans to repost the two previous entries and that he will continue to write critical pieces of the government, realizing he'll never be able to step foot in Singapore again.

Nair, who lived a total of 35 years in Singapore, twice ran for Parliament as a member of the Workers Party, but lost his bids for office. He immigrated to the United States in 1991, where he was granted political asylum and became a U.S. citizen in 2005.

After leaving Singapore this week, he flew into San Francisco airport Wednesday, and spent his first two nights back in the United States at the Islander Motel in Fremont because power and water lines had been turned off at his San Jose home. Although electricity had not been restored to his home by Friday evening, Nair planned to return home.

He owes about six months in mortgage payments for his house, back rent for his law office, plus he needs to pay off his credit cards, including half a year's worth of interest. While waiting for his trial to begin in Singapore, Nair took out cash advances on his credit card to pay for living expenses.

Factoring in lost wages, court fees and the interests on debts he owes, Nair estimated that the entire ordeal has set him back $100,000 — and he believes he is in danger of losing his house.

"I paid a price, but the Singaporean government has paid a bigger price," he said, adding that his case has shed more light on what he called a tyrannical government.

"Before this incident, I was just Gopalan Nair. Who? ... But after this case, (Singaporean leaders) have made me more popular. They made my blog popular. They've given publicity to my cause," he said.

From News Release by UncleYap

I went to Queenstown Remand Prison this morning to await for him but I didn't know that famiLEE LEEgime took him out on a mata van to ICA to return him pass port and process his stay until 26.Nov.2008. He is banned to return to Singapore after that. I spoke to him on telephone just few minutes ago. He is OK and happy.

Channel News Asia
SINGAPORE: Former Singapore lawyer Gopalan Nair will not be jailed for contempt of court but has been given a telling-off and warning against making attacks against the Singapore Judiciary in future.

In contempt of court proceedings brought against Nair by the Attorney-General on Wednesday, Nair admitted in open court that he had made statements that were punishable as contempt of court.

He then went on to offer an unreserved apology to the court and to District Judge James Leong for offending comments that he had made.

The Attorney-General brought Nair to court for remarks made in the course of a trial in the Subordinate Courts between July and September this year, attacking the Singapore Judiciary and District Judge James Leong by stating that the courts were being abused for political ends.

He later repeated comments on the independence and impartiality of the Singapore Judiciary and District Judge James Leong in two blog postings about the trial.

On Wednesday however, Nair admitted in the Subordinate Courts that he had made utterances and statements that were punishable as contempt of court and went on to offer an unreserved apology to the court and to District Judge James Leong.

Nair also stated in public and on record, that he unconditionally withdrew the allegations made against the District Judge and any statements imputing that the Singapore courts are beholden to the government.

The former lawyer also undertook in public not to make such statements in future and to remove the offending blog posts as soon as possible.

In view of Nair's unreserved apologies and undertakings which were made in public and on record, the Deputy Solicitor-General told the court that the Attorney-General would not be pressing for a jail sentence.

Considering that Nair had purged his contempt and had shown remorse, District Judge Leslie Chew admonished Nair, warning him against launching attacks against the Singapore Judiciary in future.

Nair was also ordered to pay legal costs to the Attorney-General.

SATURDAY, 01 NOVEMBER 2008
Singapore Democrats

Attorney-General Walter Woon has turned his attention on Mr Goplan Nair again and wants to start contempt proceedings against the former Singaporean and now US citizen.

Mr Nair is still serving his three-month prison for "insulting" High Court Judge Belinda Ang over her presiding of the defamation hearing between Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the Singapore Democrats.

Mr Woon is citing Mr Nair for criticising District Judge James Leong in his blog the Singapore Dissident. Mr Leong had presided over a trial in which Mr Nair was charged for disorderly behaviour.

In a media release, the AG's Chambers said:

In the course of the trial, the Respondent attacked the independence and impartiality of the Singapore Judiciary and District Judge Leong by stating, inter alia, that the courts were being abused for political ends.

The Respondent has also attacked the independence and impartiality of the Singapore Judiciary and District Judge Leong in his web log ("blog") "Singapore Dissident" at http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/ through his following two blog posts:

(i) a blog post titled "Another classic case of trying to use the courts to silence dissents", dated 1 September 2008;

(ii) a blog post titled "Convicted", dated 6 September 2008.

Mr Nair was a former opposition candidate and practicing lawyer in Singapore. He left Singapore in the 1980s and settled in California.

The AG has launched a series of contempt proceedings against critics. The Wall Street Journal Asia, Dow Jones, and three activists who donned kanagroo T-shirts have all been charged with contempt of court.

Watch video of Gopalan Nair's message before imprisonment here.

And a rather important matter is raised by Singapore Indian Voice...

Maybe, since he's at it, the Attorney-General should also bring contempt of court proceedings against the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) for their July 2008 report and/or Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada for their Oct 2007 report.

Blogger sentenced to three months in jail; newspaper faces possible contempt charge for criticising judiciary

(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is a 19 September 2008 CPJ press release:

Critics of Singapore's judiciary face reprisal

New York, September 19, 2008 - A court in Singapore sentenced a blogger to three months in jail on Thursday, one week after the nation's attorney general sought contempt proceedings against The Wall Street Journal Asia. Both actions come in response to critical analysis of Singapore's judiciary in connection with a prominent defamation suit.

Blogger Gopalan Nair, a former Singapore citizen who obtained U.S. citizenship in 2005, had accused a high court judge of "prostituting herself" during a hearing to assess damages in a successful defamation suit filed by the ruling Lee family against an opposition newspaper, according to local and international news reports. Police had detained Nair for six days in May after he published the comments on his Web site Singapore Dissident, having traveled to Singapore to observe the three-day hearing. Nair, who plans to appeal the verdict, must begin serving the sentence on Saturday, the Straits Times said.

In a separate case, Singapore's attorney general is seeking contempt proceedings against the publisher and two editors of the Dow Jones-owned Wall Street Journal's Asian edition for two editorials and a letter that allegedly impugned the "impartiality, integrity and independence of the Singapore judiciary," according to the Web site of the attorney general's office. One of the editorials, "Democracy in Singapore," published June 26, concerned comments made in the same defamation hearing Nair attended.

"Open discussion of the issues raised by this prominent defamation case is a part of a fair judicial process, and should not lead to further punitive measures," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program coordinator. "Online commentators like Nair should not have to serve time for criticizing the authorities, even in harsh terms."

The May defamation hearing attracted widespread attention because it pitted Lee Kuan Yew, the founding leader known as Singapore's minister mentor, against defendant Chee Soon Juan, who heads the opposition Singapore Democratic Party. The rivals squared off in court over the government's frequent use of libel charges against critics. "When the subject turned to the moral underpinnings of democracy-freedoms of speech, assembly and association-the debate went game, set, and match to Mr. Chee," the June 26 editorial in the Journal read. The editorial also described Nair's detention.

A letter by Chee, published by the Journal, and a second editorial citing an International Bar Association Human Rights Institute report on human rights in Singapore are also cited in an application to court to proceed with the contempt charge. A hearing will be set if the attorney general's application is accepted by the court, the Journal said. In a statement posted on its Web site, the attorney general's office said it will seek "appropriate sanctions."

"The dialogue took place in a courtroom and is therefore privileged-which means we can report on it without risking a lawsuit, which Mr. Lee often files against critics," said the newspaper's June 26 editorial commentary.

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.cpj.org

US Citizen convicted in Singapore for blogging about court proceedings of a political case. This is his message of appeal to the public before he began his 3 month prison sentence on 20 September 2008.

http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com
supportgopalan@gmail.com

APPEALS TO:

President Sellapan Rama Nathan
Office of the President of the Republic of Singapore
Orchard Road
Singapore 238823
Fax: 011 65 6737 5522
Email: s_r_nathan@istana.gov.sg
Salutation: Dear President Nathan

COPIES TO:

His Excellency Mr Vanu Gopala MENON
High Commissioner for Singapore
c/o Permanent Mission to the U.N.
231 East 51st Street
New York, NY 10022, USA
Fax: (212) 826-2964

Lee Hsien Loong
Office of the Prime Minister
Istana Annexe, Orchard Road
Singapore 0923
Fax: 011 65 6835 6621
Email: lee_hsien_loong@pmo.gov.sg
Salutation: Dear Prime Minister

Professor S. Jayakumar
Ministry of Law
100 High Street
The Treasury 08-02
Singapore 179434
Fax: 011 65 6332 8842
Salutation: Dear Minister

From France24...

Gopalan Nair is being charged for having "insulted" a judge on his blog. According to him, the case is a message from the government to its bloggers, more inclined to self-censorship than the traditional media. Read more...

Gopalan Nair, an American lawyer originally from Singapore, risks up to a year in prison and a €2500 fine for a post that questions the autonomy of the Singaporean judicial system. Here he explains the case from his point of view, and condemns the censorship of traditional press and the lack of democracy in the state. Gopalan will answer questions posted on his profile page (in English or in French).

Click here to read the article and one from me aka soci.

From Jurist - Legal News and Research
Joe Shaulis at 9:14 AM ET

[JURIST] US blogger and attorney Gopalan Nair [personal blog; law firm profile] appeared in the Singaporean Supreme Court [official website] Monday and pleaded not guilty to insulting a public servant. Nair is on trial for accusing a judge of "prostituting herself" [blog entry] in a defamation case brought by former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew [official profile] against the Singapore Democratic Party. Under a provision of the Singaporean Penal Code [text], insulting a public servant conducting a judicial proceeding is punishable by up to one year in prison, a $5,000 fine or both. After Nair entered his plea, the trial was adjourned until later this week. AFP has more.

Nair faces another trial on a charge of insulting a second judge. He is also appealing his conviction [Straits Times report] last week on charges of disorderly conduct and using abusive words toward police officers. Before becoming a US citizen, Nair was a Singaporean opposition politician, having run for office in 1991 as a member of the Workers' Party [party website]. In July, a report by the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) concluded [JURIST report] that Singapore [JURIST news archive] lacks an independent judiciary and fails to meet international standards of human rights by heavily regulating international and domestic press and enforcing extreme defamation laws. Singapore's Ministry of Law responded that the group was biased in its assessment and that the country had already responded to such concerns.

SINGAPORE (AFP) — An American blogger charged with insulting a Singapore judge pleaded innocent in court Monday and vowed to contest the allegation.

Gopalan Nair allegedly accused a judge of "prostituting herself" by being biased in favour of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, former premier Lee Kuan Yew, in a defamation case they filed against an opposition politician.

"Not guilty," Nair, who is representing himself, told the Supreme Court when asked to enter a plea after the charge was read out.

The judge, Belinda Ang, had presided over the case against Singapore Democratic Party leader Chee Soon Juan.

Nair, a former Singaporean lawyer who has US citizenship, allegedly wrote on his blog that she was "nothing more than an employee of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his son and carrying out their orders," according to the charge read out in court.

The 10-day hearing was to have begun Monday but was adjourned for two days at Nair's request to allow him more time to prepare his defence and settle personal matters.

Nair also said he needed to arrange for money to be sent from the United States to pay a 3,000 Singapore dollar fine (2,117 US) issued against him in another case.

Nair was found guilty last Friday for abusive behaviour against two police officers and disorderly behaviour.

Under Singapore law, Nair faces a jail term of up to one year and a 5,000 Singapore dollar fine if found guilty of insulting a public servant.

Nair was to have faced a second charge of insulting another judge, but the state prosecutor told the court the charge would be "stood down." A legal expert said this means that charge would be heard separately.

US Citizen charged in Singapore for blogging about court proceedings of a political case. His passport impounded, he has been stuck in Singapore since 31 May.

http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com
supportgopalan@gmail.com