One of the alleged editors of website, The Real Singapore (TRS), has been allowed to leave the country on compassionate grounds.
26-year old Yang Kaiheng’s father is believed to be in critical condition in Brisbane, Australia, after suffering a stroke on May Day.
Mr Yang and his Australian girlfriend, Ai Takagi, are facing seven charges of sedition for content they had allegedly uploaded onto their site.
On Sunday, the Media Development Authority (MDA) also ordered them to shut down the website altogether, along with its other online platforms, such as its Facebook page and Twitter account.
According to news reports, the prosecution had strenuously objected to Yang’s application to leave Singapore, citing flight risk.
Deputy Public Prosecutor G. Kannan said during the hearing in court on Monday that Yang is a permanent resident in Australia, and also a director of a company there.
Further, his fiancee – referring to Takagi – is an Australian citizen.
However, Mr Yang’s lawyer, Choo Zheng Xi, told the court that Mr Yang’s family is based in Singapore.
Mr Kannan said that “if there was some demonstration of good faith of compliance on Yang’s part, the prosecution will be prepared not to object to him leaving Singapore, subject to bail quantum and other bail conditions”, according to the Straits Times.
When hearing resumed in the afternoon, District Judge Eddy Tham allowed the application for Mr Yang to leave Singapore, but subject to an increased bail of S$60,000.
Mr Yang is to return to Singapore by 17 May, and also to provide medical report updates on his father’s condition every three days and he has to remain contactable at all times.
We understand that Ms Takagi will remain in Singapore.
