Singapore court sends teen blogger Amos Yee back to jail for criticising Christianity and Islam

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Teen blogger Amos Yee arrives at the State Courts in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:54pm, 29 Sep 2016Updated: 11:10pm, 29 Sep 2016

A Singapore court sentenced 17-year-old blogger Amos Yee to six weeks in jail on Thursday for “wounding religious feelings”, the second jail term for the teenager who was convicted on similar charges last year.

Yee pleaded guilty to six charges of deliberately posting comments on the internet critical of Christianity and Islam.

His case has reignited concerns about censorship and social controls in the Asian financial hub and drew criticism from human rights organisations.

Singapore has unfortunately doubled down on a strategy that clearly violates freedom of expression

Phil Robertson, Human Right Watch’s Asia division

Judge Ong Hian Sun told the district court that Yee’s actions could “generate social unrest” and should not be condoned.

There was no immediate comment from Yee or his legal representatives.

Yee was convicted on charges of harassment and insulting a religious group last year for comments he made about former premier Lee Kuan Yew and Christians soon after Lee’s death. His sentence then amounted to four weeks in jail he had already served.

Teen blogger Amos Yee arrives with his mother at the State Courts in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

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