Human Rights Watch: In Singapore, free speech is apparently only free depending on who you are and who you are talking about. As Roy Ngerng is learning, even implying criticism of the government is risky in a country where government leaders are quick to bring a lawsuit in response to public comments that are pretty ordinary in rights-respecting democracies. Lee’s current defamation suit, though the first time he has sued a private citizen, is part of a long tradition that has proven useful to Singapore’s leaders for muzzling meddlesome foreign media, harassing opposition political figures and prompting self-censorship among the general populace that helps shut down possibly embarrassing revelations. If this defamation suit conforms to type, it will further demonstrate the government’s unwillingness to let citizens have their say.
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 05:32:15 +0000
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