Nair disputes charges of sending insulting emails to High Court judges

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Thursday, 12 June 2008

Singapore Democrats

Mr Gopalan Nair, who is charged with having fallen foul of the law in Singapore, says he is standing by what he had said in his blog posts about the judiciary in the country.

Addressing a media conference this afternoon, Mr Nair said: "In the US where I come from, the judiciary just as any other government or official body is open to criticism and they accept it as necessary for the advancement and improvement of the administration of justice."

This morning, Mr Nair was charged in the Subordinate Courts with two offences, both under the Penal Code, of sending emails to two different High Court judges. One of the charges alleged that he had sent an insulting email to Justice Lai Siu Chiu on 17 March 2006. The other similar email was to Justice Belinda Ang on 29 May 2008.

No plea was taken at both Court 23 and Court 26. Mr Nair, who is on bail, will appear in court again on Monday.

At the news conference Mr Nair said he is disputing the charges and would claim trial.

"My blog was written as a message to the world about my views of matters of public interest. I have been accused of sending Emails to Judge Belinda Ang and others but this is not true. I did not at anytime send any Emails to Judge Belinda Ang or anyone else as far as this incident is concerned. The police had seized my notebook containing my email password and my blog access," the former Singaporean told reporters.

Gopalan Nair at the press conference this afternoon with his lawyer Chia Ti Lik

Gopalan Nair at the press conference this afternoon with his lawyer Chia Ti Lik

Earlier, at the court were two diplomats from the US Embassy in Singapore.

According to an observer, the Singapore authorities are not taking up issue with Mr Nair over his blog postings because they don't want to be seen antagonizing the blogging community in the Internet.

Mr Nair came to Singapore for the purpose of observing the three-day hearing of assessment of damages in a defamation suit brought against the SDP and its two leaders by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. The hearing, from 26 May was before Justice Belinda Ang.

Mr Nair told the news conference that he was upset about what "I saw in the court proceedings".

"I am not apologizing for what I said in my blog posts. We should have the courage to speak up and I'm not afraid for I'm not a slave.

"If I don't do things according to my beliefs, I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror," Mr Nair asserted.

Click here for the full text of Mr Nair's statement at the news conference.

Photo credit: with appreciation to Alex Au of www.yawningbread.org

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tunkdon -

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 8:10 am

where is human right

YogiBear - Possible Boo Boo?

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 8:47 am

It would be highly embarrassing for the prosecution if it turned out that both the email address and the IP address were spoofed.

truth - Fight the dictatorship

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 9:06 am

Great. Fight the dictatorship and expose them for the evils they have inflicted on Singaporeans. We are with you.

Underdogs - We shall overcome

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 9:07 am

:cheer:We all over the world are united with u buddies GN, CSJ, & CSC.
we are monitoring & watching all the
dramas that has been unfolding in an out of Singapore very closely.

Is time for pen to do the talking, Which is mightier then sworld.

Mental Ah Lee Kayu time is running out very soon with is cronies and donkey singh.

Gerald Teo - Evidence?

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 9:24 am

So they're not charging him with sedition (PAP definition).
It'd be interesting to see what kind of evidence the prosecution is going to produce. I don't believe Mr Nair is lying when he says he did not send personal emails to the judges. If he did he would've have just said so.

J Moe - We will be with you!

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 9:37 am

Dear Mr Gopalan Nair,

We are so glad to hear that, you have been exercising "Freedom of speech" and "Freedom of the press". You are practically demonstrated on this Island, you have respects the fundamental freedoms of human rights, you have been showing protection of human rights, and also promote of social justice constructively.

That was what ASEAN Leaders longest dream such as (i) respect for fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the promotion of social justice; (Ref: Article 2-2 of the ASEAN Charter) http://www.aseansec.org/ASEAN-Charter.pdf

Obviously the world could see clearly the ASEAN Charter has failed to implement political and media freedom to members of ASEAN countries.

JT - "Power flows from the barrel of a gun."

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:25 am

Lee Kwan Yew and his PAP thugs have power because they control the police and army who control the guns. They have the power to put any serious opposition behind bars.

As Mao Tse Tung said, "Power flows from the barrel of a gun."

As long as Lee controls those guns do you think the opposition is ever going to be able to come to power?

Now it looks like Lee and Co. may be fabricating evidence: emails.

Need for Justice - Spin Doctors at Work!!!

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:47 am

Here is where the PAP spin doctors are hard at work to demonised GN.

GN has been posting for years, and stands by what he says. He post everything freely on his blog. Only people who intentionally surfs the blog will come to read what he says, so he is NOT at fault legally of pushing his idea.

PAP knows that, so SPIN DOCTORS from PAP are coming up with fake charges that he sends email. SPIN DOCTORS from the media reported that he threathens the judges, etc (1st day), and is held without bail for threats. SPIN DOCTORS in the judiciary now add a second charge of sending email some 2 years ago, to make GN look like a habitual offender. To do this, they must have control over GN's laptop. They are smart, and they would probably chose someone that GN has send email to, and perhaps just added a few "insulting" lines into the email. GN is fighting against the entire PAP SPIN DOCTOR machinery, so it is really hard. The media, the police, the judiciary are all lined up against him.

The only places that speaks GN side of the story is the free internet. Even so, there are not too many sites. Even on the internet, there are many PAP moles and SPIN DOCTORS hard at work on various forums to blacken GN's name. These people are paid just to do that.

If you look at this site alone, you will notice that there are many weird and unfavorable comments to CSJ, CSC and GN. I am glad that SDP has introduce the + and - rating systems, so we can know that almost all the readers are against the comments put up by the PAP internet SPIN DOCTORS. However, may see comments with like -20 or -30, and know that they are just outrageous.

So... HOW CAN WE ALL HELP??
Here's my suggestion.

In the interet of justice, we can help by disseminating GN side of the story (that he DID NOT SEND THE EMAILS) across the internet. Judging from the number of people who respond to THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN, the number of people that loves freedom easily overshadow the PAP SPIN DOCTORS by 30 : 1!!! If we are willing to help disseminate GN's side of the story, we might be able to change the tide of negative feelings that PAP is trying to generate towards GN. PAP is trying to control the tide of public opinion, and we must overturn it!!!

EDMWer -

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:30 am

Ohhh noses....if Gopapa didn't send the email....tat means the authorities are lying????

Dunch knoe who ish lying wor?!

:woohoo:

Chew -

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 4:13 pm

Quote:

Mr Nair said: "In the US where I come from, the judiciary just as any other government or official body is open to criticism and they accept it as necessary for the advancement and improvement of the administration of justice."

US is a First World country, Singapore is not, despite how the delusional Lee Kuan Yew and his clown prince son Lee Hsien Loong so shamelessly and ever-so-often declared.

One cannot claim that he or she is an A student just because they scored an A in one subject but failed all the rest.

In the same sense, Singapore is just a mediocre country with an extremely disproportion sense when it comes to minsters' salaries and all benefits entangling with PAP. Two sets of rules exist, one for the peasants and another for those with PAP affiliation.

Lee Kuan Yew's book, From Third World to First, is a fallacy. We are still third world no doubt, having failed badly in human rights and media freedom among other things. It is not unlike spending $400k to re-brand "Marina Bay", as "Marina Bay".

:angry: Thumbs down to all of you Lee Kuan Yew, PAP, SPF, SPH, MediaCorp and Court of Singapore.

Excuses after excuses - Busy catching inocent oppositions

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:51 pm

Just look a the Botched escape bid by 2 detainees from sub-courts..again and again excuses after excuses

Complacency only shows top down, if the top is always on-the-ball, will there even have room for the one at the bottom to lapse to this low level?

How can the top be on the ball when they are busy catching, arresting and instilling fear amongst pp'ple, inocent oppositions! Guarding their own golden rice bowls! :evil:

Live as a Human Being or die - Well Said Mr Nair

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:54 pm

"I am not apologizing for what I said in my blog posts. We should have the courage to speak up and I'm not afraid for I'm not a slave.

"If I don't do things according to my beliefs, I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror," Mr Nair asserted.

Well Said Mr Niar- as a human being if one cannot speak your mind and say what is the reatl thruth -right and wrong - they we might as well be dead or animals! Stupid morons which is what PAP wants us to be! :evil:

Respect begets respect! We definitely support what you said Mr Nair!

Give them hell! Bring justice to Sinkapore! You can do it!

Call for GE sooner - Iron Rice Bowls for Ministers, Police and top poli

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:59 pm

Big fat salary and big office have soften many of the big-shots up there. Our police force and armed forces and Minister hot-shots are not as tough as before, many manged to climb up there with academic results/contacts.

People who got iron rice bowls will never improve, never admit mistakes, and only good in pushing away all blames, but yet, still getting fat salaries & enjoy lives year after year!

Com'on...Sinkaporeans, TAKE ACTION NOW, PLEASE !!! Call for GE and throw them out and their judges! :evil:

Lifestyle of Lee Regime - State of affairs in Singapore??

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:04 pm

Lifestyle of Lee Regime:

They are simply too comfortable with their arm chairs, nice and cooling offices, latest models of police cars and computers that they can never be fast with their hands, legs and brains anymore!
Don't forget their 52in Plasma TVs.
Life is so good in the police station.

blame it on the wrong facing of security door sited in such a way guard can't see -It is a structural fault lah not the men in blue.

The management is always right and the stupid policeman will be the one getting the stick. Work long hours = Get punished

It is the scholars who are the real problems...fast promotions and good exit plans when retire-It's about time the gahman realises that some scholars are good only at taping at buttons of computers from their cosy office. Worse still, these literate idiots come from well to do families and have never gone to the ground. No experience!

One classical good example in Singapore was the introduction of ISO System which suppose to instil quality check to the process, but it ended up becoming a system for transfering the entire fault along if found to the lowest or lower-middle officer and pin-point it is their faults so and then commonly practiced by the Singapore companies big or small.

So what are we sinkaporeans gonna do? With the exception of a few oppositions fighting so hard and kena jail/sued -

Think pp'ple! Action is louder than words - how long are you all going to live under their false fear!

Well Said Mr Nair - Words of Wisdom

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:06 pm

"I am not apologizing for what I said in my blog posts. We should have the courage to speak up and I'm not afraid for I'm not a slave.

"If I don't do things according to my beliefs, I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror," Mr Nair asserted.

Words of Wisdom ; Words of a true valour; Words of an highly talented educated solicitor!

But in Stinkapore - Lee Regime does not like these words !Singaporeans must be dumb!

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