Li Shengwu, an assistant professor at Harvard University, has decided to pay a S$15,000 fine after the Singapore High Court found him guilty of contempt.

However, he said on his Facebook post that his decision does not mean he admits guilt, nor does he agree that his words were "illegal".

Sentenced to a fine for contempt

Li, who is the son of Lee Hsien Yang and nephew of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, was sentenced on July 29 for scandalising the court in a private Facebook post he made in 2017.

The post included 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."

A representative from the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) said that this statement "clearly impugns" the impartiality of Singapore's courts and its judiciary system.

The post was made in relation to the dispute between PM Lee, Lee Hsien Yang and their sister Lee Wei Ling over the Oxley Road home of the late Lee Kuan Yew.

Li had to pay the fine within two weeks, otherwise he would have to serve a default sentence of one week's jail, according to the Straits Times.

What Li said

In his Aug. 11 Facebook post, Li said he would pay the fine for "peace and quiet".

He added, "paying the fine avoids giving the Singapore government an easy excuse to attack me and my family."

Li added:

"I do not admit guilt. I have never denied writing what I wrote, to my friends in a private Facebook post. I disagree that my words were illegal. Moreover, civilized countries should not fine or jail their citizens for private comments on the court system."

He also said that the AGC has written "thousands of pages" of legal documents and asked that he reveal all of his Facebook friends during the course of the prosecution.

Top image from Li's Facebook page and Mothership.