11 May 2005

Alert

Filmmaker called in for questioning, under investigation


Incident details

Martyn See

other

(SEAPA/IFEX) - Singaporean filmmaker Martyn See has been invited for questioning by the police, news agencies have reported, two months after his documentary on a Singaporean opposition figure was forced out of a film festival in the city-state.

See, 36, told Reuters that he is expected to present himself before the country's police on 16 May 2005. The filmmaker said he expects to be questioned about "Singapore Rebel", his film on Chee Soon Juan, leader of the Singapore Democratic Party.

The Agence France-Presse news agency said See was being probed under the Films Act pertaining to "party political" films. If convicted of violating the Films Act, See could be jailed for two years or fined up to 100,000 Singapore dollars (approx. US$60,800).

See had pulled his documentary from Singapore's International Film Festival in March after government censors advised him that the film was flaunting laws against political films.



Source

Southeast Asian Press Alliance
Unit 3B, Thakolsuk Place
No. 115 Tetdumri Road
Dusit, Bangkok 10300
Thailand
seapa (@) seapa.org
Phone: +66 2 243 5579
Fax: +66 2 244 8749
 

More on this case

Government pledges to ease restrictions on films, public demonstrations 20 August 2008 Police investigation of filmmaker intensifies; SEAPA urges authorities to end probe and repeal Films Act 26 September 2005 Filmmaker surrenders tapes, video equipment to police 31 August 2005 Director withdraws documentary from festival on government "advice" 23 March 2005

Singapore

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