US envoy slaps Singapore over freedom of speech

October 12, 2005 06:41 AM ET
US envoy slaps Singapore over freedom of speech


All Financial Times NewsThe outgoing US ambassador to Singapore has criticised the city-state's restrictions on free speech in a rare public rebuke by a US official of one of Washington's closest Asian allies.

Ambassador Frank Levin said Singapore's 20th-century political model may prove inadequate for the 21st century, warning that the government "will pay an increasing price for not allowing full participation of its citizens."

The ambassador told an audience at a farewell dinner that he was "embarrassed" when police asked him if he wanted to press charges against six demonstrators protesting the Iraq war in front of the US embassy in 2003. Singapore bans demonstrations of five or more people.

"I said 'no.' I mean, go ahead, hold the signs and say something if you want to," said Mr Lavin, who will become under-secretary for international trade at the US Commerce Department.
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http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?Feed=FT&Date=20051012&ID=5183462



_Bush Free Speech Zone

Has he heard about the "Free Speech Zones" here? These people have absolutely no idea how stupid they sound when they presume to lecture other countries, considering how many of our rights here have been stripped away since Chimp began his thuggish presidency.

Hypocrites-R-Us.