Singapore teen in anti-Lee video freed after sentencing

Singapore

The Singaporean teenager behind online attacks on former premier Lee Kuan Yew was given a four-week jail term today but freed in view of time served since being accused of offending Christians and posting an obscene image. 

Amos Yee, 16, was jailed for three weeks for wounding religious feelings in an expletive-laden YouTube video comparing Lee Kuan Yew to Jesus, which was posted after the independence leader's death in March. 

He also received a one-week jail term for posting an obscene drawing of Lee and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

District Court judge Jasvender Kaur backdated the sentence to June 2, when Yee was already in remand, saying the offences "were not serious in nature but not trivial either".

Yee, who was earlier shackled on his hands and feet in court, looked dazed and frightened as he left the court. He did not speak to reporters. 

Yee's lawyer Alfred Dodwell told reporters his client wants to appeal the conviction.

Yee had faced an extended period behind bars. The maximum penalty for wounding racial or religious feelings is three years.

Rights groups criticised the city-state for arresting Yee and sympathisers staged rallies in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan to demand the boy's freedom ahead of the sentencing.