Critics miss the point, problem lies with hate speech law in Amos Yee case

Amos Yee, 16, and his mother leave the State courts in Singapore, on March 31, 2015. Pic: AFP.

By Carlton Tan Apr 02, 2015 

Headlines in the international media typically associate the charges Amos Yee faces with the fact that his video was critical of the late Lee Kuan Yew. For instance, the BBC’s headline goes “Singapore charges teen over anti-Lee Kuan Yew rant” while The Guardian’s goes “Singapore teenager charged over critical Lee Kuan Yew video”. But that is misleading. The most serious charge Yee faces is for making inflammatory remarks about Christianity, not for criticising Singapore’s supreme leader. The relevant law is hate-speech type legislation. 

Critics Miss the Point, Problem Lies With Hate Speech Law in Amos Yee Case by Thavam Ratna