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SINGAPORE : A British author who has been charged with contempt of court for comments in his book remains defiant, saying he will not apologise to the Court.
Alan Shadrake said this after he made his first court appearance on Friday.
Shadrake arrived at the High Court, to face the allegations levelled against him - for making and publishing contemptuous statements on the independence of the Singapore judiciary in a book.
He was at the High Court to face the allegations levelled against him - for making and publishing contemptuous statements on the independence of the Singapore judiciary in a book.
The book - 'Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock' - was launched recently.
At the outset of the hearing, Senior Counsel David Chong, acting for the Attorney General's Chambers, reminded the media that they too would be liable for contempt if the paragraphs at the centre of the case are repeated by them in the news reports.
Meanwhile the contempt hearing which was to take place Friday was adjourned for three weeks to give the author time to file an affidavit and for the Attorney General's Chambers to respond to it.
But Shadrake's lawyer, M Ravi, asked for the case to be adjourned for one month to allow his client time to file an affidavit.
Mr Ravi told the Judge that he also wanted to consult several sources cited in Shadrake's book to see if too wanted to file affidavits.
These include the International Bar Association, the US State Department and the German government.
However Justice Quentin Loh ruled that he would grant a two week adjournment for Shadrake to file his affidavit and a further week for the AGC to respond.
And if any other parties want to file affidavits, the matter would have to be referred to the Judge first.
Senior Counsel Chong also told the High Court that there is another avenue available for Shadrake - which is to tender an unreserved apology to the court.
But Shadrake has told the media that he will not apologise.
"You must be joking. I will never apologise, I will never say sorry. If I say sorry, what would you think of me? What would everybody think of me? I didn't do this to chicken out, say sorry and grovel to them like Singaporeans mostly have to do to lead a normal life," said Shadrake.
"I am going to carry on this fight, and I am going to carry on the anti-death penalty campaign."
With the case adjourned for three weeks, both parties will return to the High Court's Registrar for a fresh hearing date.
Shadrake is out on bail of $10,000, and is facing a separate investigation for criminal defamation. - CNA/jm/ls
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