Reporting and opinion by Mathew Carr
Aug. 2-3, 2024* — Singapore — Here is a statement from Ravi MRavi, human rights and death-sentence lawyer, at around 11am Friday after he was sentenced to 14 weeks + fines …CarrZee comments in square brackets:
“I have just been sentenced to jail for 14 weeks for the offences of nuisance, harassment, and causing hurt.
To the persons [there were about 10 victims] who I have disturbed whilst in a hypomanic episode, I am sorry. I should have taken more precautions to prevent myself from experiencing another bipolar relapse. [Ravi sometimes didn’t properly take his medications, the court found, increasing his risk to society.]
It was never my intention to hurt anyone. After my sentence, I hope to make amends to not only the people I have hurt but also members of the public who have lost confidence in me for my relapse.
[In Friday’s hearing, there was not one consideration given to Ravi for his years-long effort to prevent death sentences and the impact that had on his mental state and his illness. Meanwhile, brutal, warmongering and hypocritical government officials, judges all walk the streets … free to carry out their institutionalized pain and killing.]
At the same time, I am disappointed by the sentence I have been given. Sending persons with mental health conditions to jail does not address the underlying causes of negative behaviour, neither it does it repair the harms that the victim has suffered.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities calls for a better approach, which considers the impact of disability on vulnerable persons. I hope that, in the future, the Singapore criminal justice system can have a more restorative approach towards mental health-related offences, one that does not regard treatment and rehabilitation as a sentence but as innately part of maintaining a healthy and orderly society.
Going forward, I hope to make amends in part by volunteering and advocating for the rights of persons with psychological conditions.
I would like to thank lawyers Eugene and Yuan Siang for their kind assistance in my matters.”
Ends
—————
My (CarrZee’s) opinion from before the sentencing hearing:
M Ravi has shown contrition and the lawyer who has worked hard to prevent death penalties being carried out deserves leniency.
His bipolar condition, if well managed, plus the mild nature of his offences, means he can be no real danger to society.
His sentence would better serve the Singapore taxpayer if it’s done entirely via supervision, tagging and community service.
For the Singapore government though…it’s probably about sending a signal to silence critics ahead of a national election. So he’ll almost certainly be jailed.
I hope I’m wrong.
…[After sitting through the sentencing hearing and putting myself in the shoes of Ravi’s 10 victims … I understand why the Singapore judge Luke Tan (I think) decided to incarcerate Ravi.
He’s a repeat offender.
Yet, Ravi could have been isolated from the public another way …eg in his own house — house arrest. His medicine regime could have been enforced with visits from a nurse, for example.
The judge said Ravi needed incarceration in part because it would show him the discipline needed in taking his medicines.
The nurse visits would be a way to do that in a less costly way for the taxpayer than incarceration.
I can’t shake the feeling the judiciary is jailing Ravi mainly to shut him up in the lead up to the Singapore general election…as early as September this year.
Globally, lawfare against those speaking out against governments appears to be dramatically on the rise.
Eg
] end of my opinion
Background on Ravi, CNA:
Earlier incarceration:
Singapore is strict — this on the state courts building…which I think means if you are young and want to smoke you have to smoke traditional cigarettes…which are the most poisonous …weird right?:
*Corrected dateline to Aug. 2, corrects to CNA (Channel News Asia). Apologies for the confusion.
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