| Associated
Press November 8, 2006 SINGAPORE By TANALEE SMITH AN OPPOSITION leader and two others announced Wednesday, Nov 8, that they would boycott their trial for public speaking without a permit due to rulings that hampered their ability to mount a defense. Chee Soon Juan, leader of the Singapore Democratic Party, party member Gandhi Ambalam and supporter Yap Keng Ho are on trial for speaking without a permit on April 22, two weeks before the country's general election. The trio had been selling the party newspaper and gave political speeches in a public area. Singapore law requires a permit for any public event, including speeches. Singapore authorities tightly restrict media and political speech, moves that regularly draw criticism from international human rights groups. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has acknowledged tensions over the regulations but defended them as necessary to maintain order. In a statement read in court by Ambalam on Wednesday, the 10th day of the trial, the defendants called the trial unfair. "We are left with no choice but to boycott the continuation of the trial," the statement said. In Tuesday's court session, Chee was forbidden from pursuing lines of questioning about political pressure on the police to arrest him, according to the Straits Times newspaper. In addition, a judge declared irrelevant Chee's argument that it would have been pointless to apply for a public speaking permit, as they had never been issued to political parties, the report said. "We are unable to show that we have been discriminated against and victimized by the PAP," said Wednesday's SDP statement, which was signed by Chee. PAP refers to Singapore's ruling People's Action Party. Chee faces seven other separate counts of speaking without a permit between Nov 13, 2005 and April 22. The Public Entertainments and Meetings Act states that "no public entertainment shall be provided except in an approved place, and in accordance with a license issued by the Licensing Officer." Offenders are liable to a fine of up to S$10,000 (about US$6400; €5,025). Chee, an outspoken critic of Singapore's government, was bankrupted in February and barred from standing in elections after failing to pay former Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong some S$500,000 (US$303,000; €232,000) in libel damages for comments he made during the 2001 elections. |
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