Malaysian lawyer issued conditional warning in Singapore for contempt of court over comments about drug dealers


SINGAPORE: Malaysian lawyer Zaid Abd Malek was served a 24-month warning by Singapore police on July 6 for contempt of court for his statements regarding the dismissal of charges brought by two Malaysian drug traffickers, the court said. Singapore Police Force (FPS).

statements were published in a Malay Mail article on February 14, 2020.

Mr Zahid, in his capacity as director of the non-governmental organization Lawyers for Liberty, had commented on the dismissal of charges brought by two convicted Malaysian drug traffickers, Gobi Avedian and Datchinamurthy Kataiah, over alleged methods of execution by authorities prisons.

“Mr. Zaid’s statements had suggested that the Singapore courts had been unfair and ignored due process in rushing the hearing, and that the Singapore courts were ‘determined to dismiss the charges and proceed with enforcement’ “, said SPF in the press release on Saturday (July 9).

“These statements have been posted online and viewed by members of the public in Singapore.”

Police said the Attorney General’s Chamber (AGC) issued an order on March 17, 2020, authorizing the SPF to investigate the alleged contempt of court.

Mr Zaid was overseas when the order was issued two years ago and did not travel to Singapore until July 4 this year.

The SPF press release on Saturday came two days after Mr Zaid posted on Facebook how he was detained and questioned by Singapore police when he arrived on July 4.

He said he had traveled to Singapore to provide legal advice to the family of Malaysian death row inmate Kalwant Singh, who was due to be executed in Changi Prison on July 7 for drug trafficking.

According to Mr. Zaid, an immigration officer asked him to wait after arriving at Seletar airport.

He said he was made to wait approximately four hours without any explanation, and then taken to a room where he was served with a notice ordering him to report to the police cantonment compound on July 6 to be investigated for contempt of court.

Mr. Zaid added that at the police cantonment compound on the morning of July 6, he was interrogated for two and a half hours. He was later released and ordered to return later that day.

That night, he was told he had committed the contempt of court offense and he received two conditional warnings – one against himself and one against Lawyers for Liberty.

ORDER ISSUED WHEN HE WAS ABROAD

The SPF said on Saturday that when Mr Zaid arrived on July 4, two officers went to the airport to serve an order requiring his presence for inquests.

Mr. Zaid told the police that he was available for interview on July 6 and was cleared to leave the airport

Before the start of the interview at the police cantonment complex, police said Mr Zaid was told he could request breaks at any time.

“The recording of the statement began at around 10:17 a.m. and ended at around 12:05 p.m., and Mr. Zaid did not request a break throughout the interview,” SPF said. “Mr. Zaid left the police cantonment compound shortly after the statement was completed.”

After investigations concluded the same day, the SPF said that in consultation with the AGC, the police issued a 24-month conditional warning to Mr Zaid and Lawyers for Liberty on July 6, in lieu of contempt charges. court. This was released ahead of his scheduled July 7 departure.

Police said Mr Zaid had accepted both warnings issued to him and Lawyers for Liberty in his capacity as director of the group.

“Mr. Zaid arrived at the police cantonment complex to receive the warnings on July 6, 2022 at around 8:48 p.m. and left the building at around 9:20 p.m.,” the SPF added.

He noted that under the Administration of Justice (Protection) Act 2016, “publication relating to contempt of court, if published on the internet or other electronic media, shall be regarded as published in Singapore if viewed by members of the public in Singapore”.