Photo credit: Reuters
Justice Quentin Loh sentenced British author Alan Shadrake to six weeks jail and a fine of $20,000 this morning for scandalizing the judiciary.
Calling the allegations in Shadrake’s book Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore’s Justice In The Dock “without precedent”, Justice Loh said that under such situations, the default punishment should be imprisonment.
Justice Loh said that the court had given Shadrake the possibility of making amends if he makes a sincere apology and also make efforts to withdraw either the publications or parts of the publications. However, the efforts had been in the ‘opposite direction’.
Shadrake’s lawyer M Ravi had said previously that Shadrake “would certainly apologize if he had offended the sensitivities of the judiciary.”
Justice Loh pointed out that the law was not concerned with the sensitivities of the judge” but whether there was risk in public confidence of the independence of the courts being undermined.
In deciding the sentence, Justice Loh referred to an article published in The Guardian on 7th November (click here for article) in which Shadrake was quoted as saying among other things, “This story is never going away. I’ll keep it on the boil for as long as I live. They’re going to regret they ever started this.”
He also pointed out that Shadrake had stated his intent to publish a second edition of ‘Once A Jolly Hangman’ with new chapters.
“A clearer intent to repent his contempt it can’t be,” said the judge.
Shadrake’s apology was therefore “nothing more that a tactical ploy in court to obtain a reduced sentence while mounting a different stance elsewhere.”
Shadrake was given a week to consider if he wants to appeal the sentencing.
Speaking to reporters later, M Ravi revealed that Shadrake’s MP in England will be filing a motion in the House of Commons to condemn the outcome of the judgement on Alan Shadrake. The MP will ask the British Government to consider raising the issue at the International Court of Justice as a possible breach of customary international law.
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@RED-man …………
FTs are here to work only. You know, seen n not heard. The same laws apply if don’t already know.
As for the elections, I personally would love to see more opposition candidates instead we get only more noise on the Internet complaining just like yours.
Granted that there are a few credible ones, but we mainly get clowns n hopefully u will not be one of them.
To SmartVoter
You seems to be in the wrong website. The only reason of you being here is likely because of your political alliance with PAP.
Likely TOC is truely open and not small minded like those PAP associated websites, if not you will be censored.
Have your say, but you will find disagreement with your brain washed thoughts.
Georgia, you are the one with a closed-up small mind…whether or not one support PAP, one still have the right to post their views here, and I am sure TOC welcomes it too!
After all, TOC advocates freedom of speech and expression…or you have a different version of what the “freedom of expression” means?
Nonsense 18 November 2010
If you want to talk nonsense ie. freedom of speech, go to North Korea.
You guys ought to be ashamed for letting a foreigner slander Spore.
………….
this 1 101% fulLEE agreed with you
IF
i am a north korean
but since i am a born singaporean livin under a DEMOCRATIC law..
i am entitled to be protected in 1 way or another…
it PEOPLE liked YOU who are limbless/lifeless/ballest that ought to be ASHAMED!!!
if leekingyou/cancerlee is so great and brave4d..maybe both of them should defect to north korea…
and mind you in north korea..there are PLENTLEE of LeeS aroun…
Nonsense
///As for the elections, I personally would love to see more opposition candidates///
Reply: Somehow, I don’t think anyone here believe you.
/// instead we get only more noise on the Internet complaining just like yours.///
Reply: So if we are Noise as you said, what make you? The NOISE over noise? Secondly, I don’t remember anyone in TOC force you with a gun to read our complaints. Don’t think too highly of yourself. Tell us your grand plan instead of becoming Also the guilty one who make NOISE.
///Granted that there are a few credible ones, but we mainly get clowns n hopefully u will not be one of them.///
Reply: with the above mentioned, I think we know who is the biggest clown.
Nonsense
You can change your nick and repeat your noble speech 10 thousands time. You can only get one simple outcome, get screwed by people here over and over again.
It was once said, to do the same thing and expect to get different outcome. That person must be an idiot. I admire you consistency, somehow, like what the other said. You come to the wrong website.
///FTs are here to work only. You know, seen n not heard. The same laws apply if don’t already know.///
Oh, you mean Alan is here for holiday? I thought he was here to promote his book? You mean must apply WP or EP then consider work? No wonder your ah kong LKY say Singaporean brain is one way street.
But he forgot people like you is the outcome and pride of his rule.
@RED-man,
I believe you live a life of contradictions
As an outsider who is still a Singaporean,
i have been called all kind of names by you just because i have written some positive things about your government.And yet,this foreign ang moh Mr.Alan Shadrake who hailed from a land of our former colonial master and you are trying to defend him despite of his conviction for scandalizing the judiciary.What good are you?.Don’t you think i have the same if not more rights than an ang moh in speaking out for or against the PAP?.So who is a hypocrite now?.
Contradiction? If that makes you happy. Positive? On contrary, i think you are far from that. For a person that leave the country when it was bad and so eager to polish the PAP boots when the country LOOKS good. I did give you a self preserved character at best. In short, your world pretty much revolve around yourself and nobody either. Seeking recoginition and attention from others which you find it hard to get with your style and character.
Scandalize? Verdict from which kangroo court? As Ravi the lawyer put it, the 14 extraction from the whole book? Hypocrite? Maybe. Specially dedicate to you of course.
By the way, with your rationale, does it mean that people who disagree with PAP are Hypocrite? Then I am very happy I am not alone, together with the people of hougang and potong pasir. I do believe there are more to come in this election.
/// Mr.Alan Shadrake who hailed from a land of our former colonial master///
With your rationale Preston, maybe you should stop using Japanese made products and start killing every single one of them you meet on the street?
Positive? Like I said, your miserable character are far from Positive. Foreigner? Sure, a Singaporean who chicken out of Singapore when time are bad in search for deeper pocket. And now, want to tell us Singaporean who stay here how we should live our life.
the british government is very very angry over our judical judgement against this poor britchap author…
now georgeyeo out of nowhere seem SHOCKed @ the british government displeasure…
georgeoleboi..hav you been sleepin or do you simplLEE assumed..that your PAP dictator rules is absolutLEE correct that the whole wide world is agreeable to you/your pap party?
Refer to Jeff:
///Georgia, you are the one with a closed-up small mind…whether or not one support PAP, one still have the right to post their views here, and I am sure TOC welcomes it too!//
On contrary, I think Georgia was try to tell you, you can speak anything without censorship in TOC but bound to have many people shaft a vibrator into your A@s.
It look more like you are guilty concious of otherwise. Then again it really amaze a lots of us here, you keep changing your nick pretending to be in number. But your style of writing betrayed you. You are actually very alone here in TOC.
Jeff = nonsense = Preston ???
Cheapskates Personality and pathetic PAP supporter. There are more voice agree with you in the YPAP blog. And when lose to the TOC, they just exercise censorship. You sure “WIN” at the YPAP blog with a capital L on the head of course. LOL
@RED-man,
IF Mr.Alan Shadrake’s book contains truths,nothing but the truths,how come he wants to apologize to the court.To escape judgment?.My question to you is,who is a chicken?Alan or Preston?
Preston:
///Shadrake’s lawyer M Ravi had said previously that Shadrake “would certainly apologize if he had offended the sensitivities of the judiciary.”///
Did shadrake apologize? Which part of if you don’t understand? Comparing yourself to Shadrake? While Mr. Shadrake is here to expose out sham court and risk jail doing so. You were in a hurry to get out of Singapore when the time was bad. Wow, how do you want me to answer you? Screw you again?
Seriously, after all those cheap talk and questioning of Alan character and his intention. Did you read the book itself or even aware of what it mentioned inside his book?
preston loon 20 November 2010
@RED-man,
IF Mr.Alan Shadrake’s book contains truths,nothing but the truths,how come he wants to apologize to the court.To escape judgment?.,who is a chicken?Alan or Preston?
……………
noped maybe alan might get to sell more books in europe after his jail/harshsentences and make more money perhaps?
and maybe just to get the british nothin2dogovernment involvment just4fun perhaps?
you still wanna know the TRUTH..nothin but the whole GodamnTRUTH?
what are you doin in america right now?
sellin ices in the ghetto perhaps?
preston you are the chicken..why did YOU crossed the road? and ow on earth as a chicken can you pressed the greenman button by the junction?
@RED-man,
Alan came to Singapore as a foreign talent, to promote his book,hopefully by doing so,he wanted to make some money.I left for oversea to improve my skill so i could earned more money.Do you see the similarity?.Unfortunately,while he was in Singapore,he became a convict.Fortunately,i am not one in my host country and am still working as a free man.See the difference?.
Sure,i would definitely want to buy his book from Amazon.com,if his book ever appeared on its books for sale lists.It would be interesting to know how this FT could be so naive to challenge the almighty PAP.I appeal to all viewers,please help him pay the fines by buying his book.
All the crap just to answer “no” you are unaware of the book contents.
Yet you judge and spoke like you have seen both side of the story. Remember this, in many countries, when the country jurisdiction itself is the accuse of system miscarriage. They are no longer fit to be the judge themselves on the cases. This should bring up to the international court.
Just as your relative cannot be your witness in the court due to conflict of interest.
It is obvious that you learnt nothing to be a descent logical person in any country you go.
“almighty” PAP???
Preston
If there is anything truth you witness about history. Which I believe must be your worst subjects. All “almighty” falls and many of them fell hard.
Roman, China first emperor Qing, Great Britian, German and Japan almost brought Europe and Asia to it’s knees. The most recent one would be USA starting to lose it edge with the debt (which is why I think you want to come back Singapore for retirement. No surprise for a LOSER). All this were due to one word “arrogant”.
The arrogant of German and Japanese to think that they are the superior races and bleed. The arrogant of Qing Shi Huang to think that he had conquer the whole China without giving credit to all the past Qing lords who built the foundation and resources for his success. The arrogant of USA who think that they have infinity resources for them to waste.
While you like to see life with your limited and miserable time frame. I urge you to look at it is a much further horizon. Then again selfish and narrow minded people like you can never even understand this simple concept of life.
The PAP doom will very much be sealed by their own form of arrogant. The arrogant to think that Singapore can run with their elites and disregards of it people. The arrogant of spending like nobody business and do not give a damn of how the next generation going to substain and maintain those expensive infrastructures that they thought it would impressed the world.
All PAP is going after is materials success to justify their achievements. Not the people achievements. Please save your miserable argument to yourself. Many here would consider you as a LOSER and pure Quiter no matter where you make your living.
Don’t even bother to tell people you were once a Singaporean. It really put us all in the big tomb of shame to even be associated with you. Thanks
preston loon
Fortunately,i am not one in my host country and am still working as a free man.See the difference?.
……………………
Prosecutor David Chong said in court Friday that the attorney general’s office would accept an “unqualified apology” from Shadrake given the author’s ailing health. Shadrake said he takes daily medication for heart disease.
Chong also warned journalists against publishing any “contemptuous material” related to the case.
………………
so preston oleboi..ow would YOU go bout it if you are a world FREE journalist whether in britain usa or even Zimbabwe(do you know where is Zimbabwe in the 1st place?
as a matter of fact many school children don’t) yet the journalists over there are writin a piece of this judgements…
you are indeed a FREEman simply because you dared not write an article in contemptuous material” related to this case.
anymore FREE query you 1st2seek?
@Red-man,
I was never once a Singaporean but i am still a Singaporean.Singapore can never be
destroyed by its own success as long as PAP
keeps itself clean and tidy without corruption.If there is any,the government should root them out immediately and not covering up instead.I do not see any down fall of PAP anytime soon.It takes 250 yrs for America to slide into oblivion starting with Mr.OBAMA and his administration.Unless and until PAP government behaves like those leaders of
Portugal,Iceland,Ireland,Greece,Spain,United
kingdom,USA,Singapore voters will continue to support the present government indefinitely.Not enough of freedom of speech can never be a factor in bringing down a government.
Please refer to your own quote:
// i have written some positive things about your government//
Though you kept saying that you are a singporean outside, your choice of words “your government” had betrayed you. Why? Like the freedom in US but yet set one foot in Singapore just for insurance purposes in case US collapsed? Like I said, you are really a piece of chicken shit. Your comment is nothing more than a stingy fart and lame.
preston loon
Singapore voters will continue to support the present government indefinitely.Not enough of freedom of speech can never be a factor in bringing down a government
……….
with free money been droppin on ALL handfone sms with a carrot danglin of between $300 to $1000..which ahpeks/ahma won’t vote for the pap? free money woah…
next..without a doubt all those europeans countries you mentioned do ultilize the gay tagged team GRC as 1 vote=6 winners right?
in the los angeles ghetto where you lived do you hav a chance to vote every 5 ears? yes/no? if you hav how come singapooriums cannot?
last but not least is your mayorship candidatecy nned to hav a company withpaidup capitals to letsays $100,000 before they can even norminate themselves as mayorship candidates? yes/no again..
and without a doubt obama must had been replace not by the people butt by leekingyou/son inc right?
Dear ikickedprestonLOONagain,
Don’t think Preston can vote since he still hold the nationality of Singaporean as he had mentioned.
However, this lead to another crucial question, is he working there as a FT or illegal worker. I also understand that it is very difficult for foreigner to be a FT in their country, so many foreigners from PRC, India and even Singapore will hide and work illegally waiting for a new president to give them the GREEN Card.
I have many friends who used to worked in Singapore night club as captain, manager and PROs went to USA 10 years ago to work illegally after the so called Singapore economy boom went bursted. They are still there now in NY.
So, maybe It is not that Preston don’t want to convert into US citizenship. He might not even qualify at all.
@RED-man,
I am not like your friends who behave like cockroaches,dared not to see daylight.You know,my skill was so good and in big demand that my host country offer me PR status right on the spot at an embassy in Singapore.My host country welcomed me with open arms.I rather be a temporary quitter that a perpetual complainer of your own country.What a pity.
preston loon 23 November 2010
@RED-man,
I am not like your friends who behave like cockroaches,dared not to see daylight.
……….
for a cockroach which can outalk/outgun/outsmart you in the DARK
you must be damned USELESS right?
there is no such word as temporary quitter..imagined leekingyou utter i am a temporary traitor till the war is over
like Simon Wiesenthal is tellin adolf hitler..i renounced the star of david till the american landed in berlin with mr brown doin his rapped as well?
Refer to Preston:
///my skill was so good and in big demand that my host country offer me PR status right on the spot at an embassy in Singapore.///
Yes, I do believe you, because you are so good in blowing the trumpet. LOL, temporary Quiter…. What a term. You are so hilarious, I think you can pass motion into the toilet bowl standing up. Because the hole is so big (in hokkien).
Preston, don’t think that you are the only one that travel. My job require me to move around from country to country.