Li Shengwu, 35, has been found guilty of contempt of court, and is to be fined S$15,000.

According to CNA, Li will have to serve a week's jail in default if he does not pay the fine, said Justice Kannan Ramesh on Wednesday (July 29).

Li is the eldest son of Lee Hsien Yang and an assistant professor of economics at Harvard University.

Did not show up at hearings

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had previously called for Li to be fined S$15,000 over his Facebook post put up in 2017.

Li failed to turn up at the hearing on July 2 as per the court order, and had no lawyer present for the proceedings. The hearing, which took place in the midst of the 2020 General Election in Singapore, was presided over by Justice Kannan Ramesh.

Li, a Singapore citizen, lives in the U.S. and did not show up at the July 29 hearing either.

Lawyers had previously told CNA that a warrant of arrest may be issued if Li is found guilty of contempt. This means that he can be placed under arrest if he returns to Singapore.

In a Facebook post on July 29, Li said that he disagrees with the judgment rendered on his case.

Background to the case

The AGC argued that Li was guilty of scandalising the judiciary with his Facebook post put up in 2017.

The post had shared a link to a New York Times editorial, "Censored In Singapore".

The description in Li's post read: “Keep in mind, of course, that the Singapore government is very litigious and has a pliant court system.”

Low Siew Ling, the AGC's representative, said that this statement "clearly impugns" the impartiality of Singapore's courts and judiciary.

Although Li's post was made privately to friends only, Low said that there is no guarantee a post for friends will only be seen by those friends.

In a Facebook post on July 2, Li had previously written a short response in the aftermath of the hearing earlier that day, saying that he decided "not to the participate in the proceedings" against him.

Top photo via Li Shengwu/FB, smuconlaw/Wikimedia