The Online Citizen received an update from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) about the removal of a letter by Mr Alfred Dodwell, the lawyer representing Amos Yee, saying that a letter published by Mr Dodwell and reproduced by TOC in the article “Inappropriate to even consider RTC for Amos Yee: Teen’s lawyer“, was at risk of sub judice.
We have earlier removed Mr Dodwell’s letter from our website.
AGC has replied within hours of our query on specifically which part of Mr Dodwell’s letter risked sub judice.
AGC is of the view that we have to remove the entire article, as it carried contents from Mr Dodwell’s letter.
“The Attorney-General’s Chambers take the view that publication of the above article amounts to sub judice conduct, as the article reproduces and/or makes references to arguments made in the letter as to the appropriateness or otherwise of reformative training, and these arguments are being published before the matter has been argued by both parties before the Court,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Kelvin Koh.
Is his letter to Judge Jasvender Kaur, Mr Dodwell had wrote that it was inappropriate for the AGC to call for a reformative training sentence for Yee.
In addition, Mr Dodwell had related in his letter that Yee might have been subject to ill-treatment while in remand at Changi Prison.
Yee was found guilty of offences relating to the Penal Code section 298, for a YouTube video he created that criticised former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and section 292 for a caricature he uploaded depicting Mr Lee and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher engaging in sexual activities.
“You have also asked us to tell you which parts of the said letter do not convey an accurate picture of the proceedings in this case,” wrote Mr Koh. “We wish to point out that in deciding to publish, reproduce or refer to the said letter, it is your duty to verify the accuracy of the information you choose to publish, reproduce or refer to.”
We thank AGC for their prompt reply. We have since removed the original article from our website.
AGC’s letter to TOC, dated today 15 June, is appended below.