Shanmugam: Amos’s age a factor for Court to consider
Protected May 3rd, 2015 | Author: Editorial
Speaking at the sidelines of a community event yesterday (2 May), Law Minister K Shanmugam said Amos Yee’s age is a factor for the Court to consider.
“Whether one is guilty, not guilty; what are the defences available, whether the fact of background or youth – these are all factors for the courts to consider,” he said.
“People have said to me: ‘Amos is young, why was he charged?’ I have refrained from commenting because those matters can be brought up in court and we have amended the law quite substantially now, to let the Court take into account these factors.”
He added that it is for society to decide the age where criminal responsibility starts.
“Once you have accepted that, then there is criminal responsibility for conduct. Whether a person is or is not guilty is for the courts and what the punishment should be, is also for the courts. But we have amended the law quite substantially to allow the courts a range of options in these matters,” he said.
Nevertheless, Mr Shanmugam said the rule of law is fundamental for any civilised society, and both the man arrested for slapping Amos Yee outside the court house, as well as Amos Yee himself are entitled to their defence in court.
Man arrested
A 49-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the assault on Amos Yee outside the court house on Thursday (30 Apr) (‘Unknown man assaults Amos Yee outside State Courts‘).
Amos was slapped by the man and thereafter, he yelled “Sue me! Come and sue me!” before fleeing the scene. The man was subsequently arrested at around 2am early Friday morning (1 May).
Law Minister K Shanmugam had earlier come out to condemn the attack (‘Law Minister condemns assault on Amos Yee‘), saying that taking the law into one’s own hands “cannot be condoned”. He explained that “Rule of Law” means respecting the legal process. “If everyone starts taking the law into his or her own hands, then we will no longer be a civilised society,” he said.
Human rights non-governmental organisation MARUAH has also issued a statement which “strongly condemns” the attack on Amos. MARUAH President Braema Mathi said the “act of violence and intimidation” is “not the way a mature and civilised society deals with opinions and opinion-makers”.
“Amos Yee is a teenager. He has made his views known. The State’s laws have taken over this process and we should leave it to the State. This is so even if we disagree with the approach taken by the State,” she added.
But former SPH journalist Bertha Henson thinks Amos ought to be “smacked”.
Yee is currently in remand. The prosecution has stood down the last charge under Section 4(1)(b) of the Protection from Harassment Act (2014) for now.
Police said investigations are ongoing.
Protected May 3rd, 2015 | Author: Editorial
Speaking at the sidelines of a community event yesterday (2 May), Law Minister K Shanmugam said Amos Yee’s age is a factor for the Court to consider.
“Whether one is guilty, not guilty; what are the defences available, whether the fact of background or youth – these are all factors for the courts to consider,” he said.
“People have said to me: ‘Amos is young, why was he charged?’ I have refrained from commenting because those matters can be brought up in court and we have amended the law quite substantially now, to let the Court take into account these factors.”
He added that it is for society to decide the age where criminal responsibility starts.
“Once you have accepted that, then there is criminal responsibility for conduct. Whether a person is or is not guilty is for the courts and what the punishment should be, is also for the courts. But we have amended the law quite substantially to allow the courts a range of options in these matters,” he said.
Nevertheless, Mr Shanmugam said the rule of law is fundamental for any civilised society, and both the man arrested for slapping Amos Yee outside the court house, as well as Amos Yee himself are entitled to their defence in court.
Man arrested
A 49-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the assault on Amos Yee outside the court house on Thursday (30 Apr) (‘Unknown man assaults Amos Yee outside State Courts‘).
Amos was slapped by the man and thereafter, he yelled “Sue me! Come and sue me!” before fleeing the scene. The man was subsequently arrested at around 2am early Friday morning (1 May).
Law Minister K Shanmugam had earlier come out to condemn the attack (‘Law Minister condemns assault on Amos Yee‘), saying that taking the law into one’s own hands “cannot be condoned”. He explained that “Rule of Law” means respecting the legal process. “If everyone starts taking the law into his or her own hands, then we will no longer be a civilised society,” he said.
Human rights non-governmental organisation MARUAH has also issued a statement which “strongly condemns” the attack on Amos. MARUAH President Braema Mathi said the “act of violence and intimidation” is “not the way a mature and civilised society deals with opinions and opinion-makers”.
“Amos Yee is a teenager. He has made his views known. The State’s laws have taken over this process and we should leave it to the State. This is so even if we disagree with the approach taken by the State,” she added.
But former SPH journalist Bertha Henson thinks Amos ought to be “smacked”.
Yee is currently in remand. The prosecution has stood down the last charge under Section 4(1)(b) of the Protection from Harassment Act (2014) for now.
Police said investigations are ongoing.
