SINGAPORE (AFP) - - A US-based blogger who allegedly accused a Singapore judge of "prostituting herself" was released on bail Thursday and had his passport confiscated.
A prosecutor told the court there was no need for him to be detained while further investigations were carried out.
Nair, 58, who declined comment to reporters, is due back in court for another hearing next Thursday.
He was arrested in the city-state on Saturday and charged Monday with insulting a public servant, his lawyer Chia Ti Lik earlier told AFP.
According to a court document, Nair is charged with insulting Justice Belinda Ang Saw Ean last week by sending an email which said she "was throughout prostituting herself during the entire proceedings, by being nothing more than an employee of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his son and carrying out their orders".
Chia said the comments essentially repeated those Nair made in a recent blog about a defamation case filed by Singapore's leaders against an opposition party and its members.
In the blog, Nair strongly criticised a three-day legal hearing last week at which Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, testified.
The US-based press freedom watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed concern about Nair's case.
"Singapore's detention of Gopalan Nair for public comments about such a highly politicised case is completely unwarranted," said CPJ Asia Programme Coordinator Bob Dietz on the group's website.
"Freedom to criticise the judiciary is fundamental to a modern society. This case illustrates the Singapore government's ongoing commitment to silencing opposition voices both in print and online."
Lee Kuan Yew has dismissed the city-state's ranking near the bottom of a global press freedom index, saying Singaporeans are free to read whatever they want.
During his testimony last week, Lee Kuan Yew justified the country's strict political controls and pointed to Singapore's economic success as the "acid test" of his legacy.
On Saturday Nair had taunted authorities in a post on his blog, saying he was in Singapore at a particular hotel, and gave his phone number.
"I am now within your jurisdiction... What are you going to do about it?" wrote Nair, a former Workers' Party candidate for parliament.
He is charged with insulting a public servant, which on conviction carries a maximum fine of 5,000 dollars (3,660 US) or one year in prison.
Nair's lawyer told reporters outside court that he expects a fresh charge to be laid against his client, without elaborating.
Name: Gurlstrange
Email: nohandphone@gmail.com
MSN: Instead why not follow me on Twitter? :)
Mini Bio:U wanna noe a lil' something abt me? Well, I'm a girl.
Paranoid, pessimistic girl with near zero self-esteem. Works in the
digital media arena in a country so fond of traditional media. Wished she could sing like Christina, danced like Ciara, play the guitar like Steve Vai, play the trumpet like Louis Armstrong and play the drums like Mike Portnoy.
Collects Tamagotchi and finds nothing wrong with it because it makes her happy.
::MORE About Me::
Blood Type: AB+(RARE blood. I think I shud start donating my blood in case I need it in the future
Nicknames: Tweety(can u believe my frens?)
[Mental]
TV: Whose Line is it Anyway?|Desperate Housewives|Ugly Betty|America's Next Top Model|Spongebob Squarepants|Punk'D|Ellen Degeneres|Heroes
Movie: CHICAGO|Pirates of the Caribbean|Transformers|The Green Mile|Sweener Todd
Books: Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere
Tom Savage - Valentine
Music: Anything goes..rock,classical,hip-hop,R&B..
Game: Baldur's Gate 2| Diner Dash| Granado Espada
Food: There's too many food I love!
Drink: Too many to list lah deh
Character: Emily Strange|Spongebob!
China girl rolled her eyes at me!?
David Gan the Himbo
Singapore's RETARDED
The shredding machine
TK Band's LOST. Deyi's win. My thoughts...
My last day of school FOREVER
Sleeping: A graphic representation
By 2008
By 2009
New PC set
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Canon Camcorder
Mini Cooper/Honda Accord Sedan
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