Protestor who called for PM Lee’s resignation charged and being probed for embassy protests
The man who was arrested twice for holding a protest calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was charged in court on Wednesday (5 July) and is also being investigated for demonstrating outside two embassies.
Yan Jun, an unemployed 41-year-old Singaporean, was charged with two counts of taking part in a public assembly without a permit outside Raffles Place MRT station under the Public Orders Act. Separately, Yan is expected to be charged for protesting at the US embassy and the British High Commission in 2016, according to Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Randeep Singh.
On Monday (3 July) at 12.01pm, Yan had displayed a sign outside the station saying, “PM Lee: resign over Terrex conspiracy!” on one side and about “judicial corruption” on the other. He was arrested and later released on the same day.
However, Yan returned to the same area to protest again on Tuesday afternoon. His actions were filmed in a video, which was posted on social media.
According to DPP Singh, when Yan noticed the police officers Raffles Place on Tuesday, he started becoming “belligerent”. Yan allegedly shouted at the officers through a loud hailer and continued shouting even when they were right in front of him. His behaviour was caught on a body camera worn by an officer.
The DPP added that Yan had sent an email to the police before Monday’s protest, informing them of his intent and adding that he did not plan to apply for a permit. Yan also claimed in the email that the police did not uphold justice and suggested that they were corrupt.
The prosecution called for Yan to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for a “full and comprehensive psychiatric assessment to be done”.
“[Yan’s] offences stem from the irrational belief that he is being persecuted by police officers and the judiciary,” said DPP Singh.
Yan, who has been diagnosed in two psychiatric reports, was assessed to have delusional disorder in the latest report, dated February this year.
However, Yan objected to the assessment. Appearing unrepresented in the dock, Yan claimed that the report was invalid as he did not give his consent to be assessed. He also alleged that the IMH doctor had refused to tell him the name of the “disease”.
Yan also objected to DPP Singh’s application to remand him at IMH for the case he is presently being charged for.
In response, DPP Singh replied that what Yan said in court this afternoon “underscores the need for a thorough and comprehensive IMH assessment to be carried out”.
District Judge Adam Nakhoda granted the prosecution’s application to have Yan remanded.
This is not the first time Yan has been charged under the Public Orders Act. In April last year, Yan was charged with two counts of taking part in a public assembly without a permit on two separate occasions at Istana Park and in the vicinity of the Parliament House. He was fined $2,000 on June 16 last year.
Yan will be back in court on July 19 after being remanded for two weeks.
If convicted of taking part in a public assembly without a permit, Yan can be fined up to $5,000 for each charge.
