# | eng | mlg |
---|
1 | Singapore Blogger Who Criticized Court Case of Anti-Gay Sex Law Fined for ‘Scandalizing the Judiciary’ | Bilaogera Ao Singapore Nitsikera Ny Lalàna Momba Ny Firaisana Ara-nofon'ny Pelaka, Nasaina Nandoa Lamandy Fa ‘Nanala-baraka Ny Fitsarana ’ |
2 | Photo of Alex Au from his blog | Sarin'i Alex Au tao amn'ny bilaoginy |
3 | A Singaporean blogger was fined S$8,000 (US$5,843) by the High Court on March 5, 2015 for writing a blog post two years ago that allegedly accused the Chief Justice of manipulating the court proceedings related to the petitions against Section 377A, the law which criminalizes sex between men. | Ny 5 Martsa 2015 teo, nosazian'ny Fitsarana Tampony ny bilaogera iray avy ao Singapore handoa lamandy S$8,000 (US$5,843) noho ny lahatsoratra iray nosoratany tao amin'ny bilaoginy efa ho roa taona lasa izay nambara fa niampanga ny Lehiben'ny Fitsarana ho manodinkodina ny fizotry ny raharaham-pitsarana mifandray amin'ireo fanangonan-tsonia nanoherana ny Andalana 377A, amin'ilay lalàna manao ho heloka bevava ny firaisan'ny lahy samy lahy. |
4 | Alex Au Wai Pang is a 62-year old writer who blogs at Yawning Bread. | Alex Au Wai Pang, 62 taona, mpanoratra, dia mibilaogy ao amin'ny Yawning Bread. |
5 | He is also a prominent member of Singapore's LGBT community. | Mpikambana fanta-bahoaka avy ao amin'ny vondrompiarahamonin'ireo LGBT Singapore ihany koa izy. |
6 | Alex said he will appeal the decision of the court. | Nilaza hampakatra ilay didy any amin'ny fitsaràna ambony i Alex. |
7 | The case involves an article that Alex wrote entitled “377 wheels come off Supreme Court's best laid plans”, which discussed the “strange calendaring” of petitions challenging Section 377A in the High Court. | Lahatsoratra iray nosoratan'i Alex no fototry ny raharaha, izay nomeny lohateny hoe “kodiarana 377 miendaka avy amin'ny drafitra tsara indrindra napetraky ny Fitsarana Tampony”, izay niresaka ny “fanaovana tetiandro hafahafa” momba ilay fanangonan-tsonia manohitra ny Andalana 377A ao amin'ny Fitsarana Tampony. |
8 | Prosecutors said the article unfairly suggested that the Chief Justice had acted improperly and therefore it “risked undermining public confidence in the administration of justice in Singapore”. | Nolazain'ny mpampanoa lalàna fa hoe “nanao fijery mitongila ailay lahatsoratra tamin'ny niheverany fa nijery tavan'olona ny Lehiben'ny Fitsarana tamin'ny fanatanterahany ny asany” ary noho izany “dia mety hikiky ny fitokisan'ny vahoaka ny fitantanana ao amin'ny fitsarana ao Singapore”. |
9 | The court agreed with the prosecution and ruled that the article “crossed the legal boundary and constitute scandalizing contempt”. | Nitovy hevitra tamin'ny fampanoavana ny Fitsarana ary namoaka didy fa hoe “nihoatra ny valan'ny ara-dalàna ilay lahatsoratra ary mahafeno ny fepetran'ny fanaovana tsinontsinona sy fanalam-baraka”. |
10 | Alex and his lawyers argued through their written submissions to the court that the article did not violate any law: | Nilaza i Alex sy ny mpisolo vava azy tao anatin'ny fehinteny an-tsoratra natolony ny fitsarana fa tsy manitsakitsaka ny lalàana ilay lahatsoratra na kely aza : |
11 | The [government] has had to twist Mr Au's words out of context and to editorialize to impute sinister innuendo into his article where none exists. | Tsy maintsy namoaka ny tenin'Ing. Au hivoaka ny sehatra tokony hisy azy ny governemanta ary hamoaka hevitra hanameloka ankolaka amin'ny fametrahana izany ao anatin'ilay lahatsoratra, izay tsy nisy izany akory. |
12 | In so doing, [it] has mischievously ignored the caveats in Mr Au's article that clearly flag out to his readers that he is theorizing, as opposed to making statements of fact. | Amin'ny fanaovana izany, manao fanahy iniana mody tsy mahita ireo fampitandremana ao anatin'ny lahatsoratr'Ing Au ry zareo izay mametraka mari-pamantarana mazava tsara ho an'ireo mpamaky azy hoe vinavinan-kevitra no ataony, fa tsy fanambaràna zava-misy.. |
13 | Many criticized the decision of the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) to charge Alex. | Maro no nanakiana ny fapahankevitry ny Kabinetran'ny Lehiben'ny Fampanoavana “Attorney General's Chambers (AGC)” hanenjika an'i Alex. |
14 | A statement signed by 170 people in December 2013 described the case as a threat to free speech: | Fanambaràna iray voasonian'ny olona 170 tamin'ny Desambra 2013 no nanoritsoritra ilay raharaha ho teoy nloza mitatao ho an'ny fahalalahana maneho hevitra : |
15 | The AGC's action, rather than enhancing confidence in the judiciary, might weaken public confidence. | Ny fihetsiky ny AGC, raha tokony hanamafy ny fitokisana ny rafi-pitsarana, dia mety hanimba ny fitokisan'ny vahoaka azy. |
16 | It also implies that the public is not allowed to form opinions on judicial processes. | Mitarikia ihany koa io amin'ny hoe tsy manana alàlana hanana fomba fijery momba ny zotram-pitsarana ny vahoaka. |
17 | But the AGC reminded them that free speech is not absolute: | Nampahatsiahy azy ireo anefa ny AGC fa tsy amin'ny lafiny rehetra akory ny fahalalahana miteny : |
18 | As important as the right to free speech and expression is, the Constitution recognizes that our society as a whole must be safeguarded against statements without basis which injure the reputation of persons or lower confidence in the administration of justice. | Na manan-danja toy inona aza ny zo halalaka amin'n fitenena sy fanehoana hevitra, dia ambaran'ny lalàm-panorenana fa ny fiarahamonintsika amin'ny maha-iray tsy mivaky azy dia tsy maintsy arovana amin'ireo fanambaràna tsy marim-pototra izay manimba ny hajan'ny olona ba manetry ny fitokisana ny fitantanana ny fitsaràna. |
19 | The case of Alex is cited by various political groups as the latest manifestation of the systematic harassment suffered by activists and critics of the government. | Tanisain'ireo vondrona politika isan-karazany ny raharaha Alex, ho toy ny farany indrindra amin'ny faneana ny filam-baniny ara-drafitra iainan'ireo mpikatroka mafàna fo sy ireo mpanakiana ny governemanta. |
20 | Reacting to the court decision, the Reform Party urged the public to be vigilant about their rights: | Tamin'ny fanehoany hevitra momba ilay fanapahankevitry ny fitsarana, ny Antoonnhy Fanavaozana dia niantso ny vahoaka mba ho mailo amin'ny zony: |
21 | Alex Au has already declared his intention to file an appeal. | Efa nambaran'i Alex Au sahady ny faniriany hanao fandravàna didy. |
22 | People we have to unite and fight to keep our rights, those few that we have left, if we are not to lose them for ever. | Ry vahoaka, mila mitambatra isika ary mitolona hitahirizana ny zontsika, ireo kely efa sisa navela ho antsika, raha toa ka tsy tiantsika ny ho very azy rehetra mandrakizay. |
23 | Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, advised Singapore to repeal the archaic law of “scandalizing the judiciary.” | Phil Robertson, tale lefitry ny Human Rights Watch any Azia, dia nanoro hevitra an'i Singapore hanafoana ilay lalàna tsy manaraka ny teotrandro momba ny “fanalàna baraka ny fitsarana.” |
24 | He also frowned upon the court decision to convict Alex: | Tsy iombonany hevitra ihany koa ny fanapahankevitry ny fitsarana hanameloka an'i Alex: |
25 | Singapore's courts, like any other public institution, are strengthened, not weakened, by open debate on issues of general concern. | Nohamafisina ny fitsarana ao Singapore, tahaka ireo andrim-panjakana hafa rehetra, fa tsy hoe marefo, tamin'ny fanokafana adihevitra mikasika ireo olana ankapobeny. |
26 | The prosecution of Alex Au for speaking out is just one more example of Singapore's willingness to misuse law to gag its critics. | Ny fanenjehana an'i Alex Au noho ny nanandratany feo dia ohatra iray monja amin'ireo fanirian'i Singapore hampiasa amin'ny tsy tokony ho zy ny lalàna mba hanampenam-bava ireo mpanakiana azy. |
27 | The issue should embolden Singaporeans to step up the pressure in demanding the abrogation of two colonial-era laws: Section 377A and the crime of “scandalizing the judiciary.” | Tokony vao mainka ity raharaha ity hahasahisahy sy handrisika ny olona ao Singapore hiroso hanao tsindry amin'ny hanafoanana ireo lalàna roa efa tamin'ny andron'ny fanjanahantany : Andalana 377A sy ny heloka bevava momba ny “fanalàm-baraka ny fitsarana.” |
28 | It should also inspire activists and other concerned citizens to broaden the campaign for greater media freedom and stronger protection of human rights. | Tokony koa io ho fakàna aingam-panahy ho an'ireo mpikatroka mafàna fo sy ireo teratany hafa voakasik'izany mba hanitatra ny fanentanana hisian'ny fahalalahana bebe kokoa amin'ny asa fanaovana gazety sy ny fiarovana matanjaka kokoa ny zon'olombelona. |