策劃、編譯■李威撰

英國籍作家沙德瑞克因書在新加坡遭判刑，

國際特赦組織、人權觀察及無國界記者等組織紛紛對新加坡表示抗議。

沙德瑞克究竟說了些什麼？為何這本著作為他招來藐視法庭的指控？

聲援者又是如何看待新加坡司法當局為他扣上的罪名？

一名被控以刑事毀謗罪及藐視法庭的英國作家，在新加坡發表其死刑論著後隔天，新加坡警方將其逮捕。

Singapore police have arrested a British author on charges of criminal defamation （1） and contempt （2） of court, a day after he launched a book on death penalty in the city-state.

在7月3日一封發給《路透》的電子信件中，沙德瑞克稱自己為「英國的自由撰稿記者及作家」，他要在7月4日於新加坡發表最新著作《快樂的劊子手：在被告席上的新加坡司法》。

In an email to Reuters on July 3, Shadrake called himself a "British freelance journalist and author," who had planned to launch his latest book "Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock" in the city-state on Saturday.

《海峽時報》於7月4日在網站上報導，76歲的沙德瑞克在他219頁的著作中，闡述許多在新加坡與運用死刑有關的知名案件。這本書也收錄了他與新加坡前任行刑者的訪談。

The Straits Times newspaper reported on its website on Sunday that Shadrake was 76 and his 219-page book was filled with accounts of high-profile cases in Singapore involving the use of the death penalty. It also included interviews with the city-state's former executioner.

因為英國作家沙德瑞克在一本討論新加坡死刑運用的著作中，批評新加坡的司法，11月3日法庭裁定藐視法庭。

British writer Alan Shadrake was found guilty of contempt of court on Wednesday for criticising Singapore's judiciary in a book on the city-state's use of the death penalty.

■圖為英國作家沙德瑞克（圖中）與辯護律師拉維（M. Ravi，右）11月3日離開最高法院。（圖文／路透）

在判決書中，承審法官羅昆廷表示，沙德瑞克在他的書中使用了「選擇性的事實及半真半假的事實，有時則是徹底的謊言」。沙德瑞克在這本書中，指控新加坡法官受到行政單位及外交壓力的左右。

In a written judgment, Loh said Shadrake had used a "selective background of truths and half-truths, and sometimes outright falsehoods" in his book, which he said accused Singapore judges of being influenced by executive and diplomatic pressure.

富有的新加坡是一個擁有5百萬人口的島國，對於犯下像是謀殺罪的人會施以死刑，而販運毒品則是唯一死刑。它以全世界犯罪率最低的國家之一自豪。

Wealthy Singapore, an island-nation of 5 million people, imposes the death penalty for crimes such as murder and a mandatory death （3） sentence for drug trafficking （4）. It boasts of one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

法官羅昆廷表示，法庭沒有興趣去壓制有關死刑的爭論，而且在憲法上也一定會保護每位公民有參與爭論的權利。

Loh, the judge, said the court had no interest in stifling debate on the death penalty and was constitutionally bound to protect every citizen's right to engage in such debate.

他在判決中表示：「但是當爭論超出公正批判的界限後，法律就會介入。……這麼做不是為了法官的尊嚴，而只是為了確保公眾對於司法當局的信心不會被動搖。」

"But when such debate goes beyond the limits of fair criticism, the law will step in," he said in the judgment. "It does so not for the dignity of the judges. It does so only to ensure the public's confidence in the administration of justice does not falter."

國際特赦組織的批評家們，過去曾指控新加坡利用嚴苛的誹謗法律來壓制異議。總部設在紐約的「人權觀察組織」呼籲新加坡在11月2日免除沙德瑞克的罪則。人權觀察組織的亞洲副司長羅柏遜說：「由於新加坡將矛頭指向捎來壞消息的信差，再一次損害其言論自由的壞名聲。」

Critics such as Amnesty International have in the past accused Singapore of using strict defamation laws to stifle （5） dissent. New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Singapore on Tuesday to exonerate Shadrake. "Singapore is further damaging its poor reputation on free expression by shooting the messenger bearing bad news," said Human Rights Watch's deputy Asia director Phil Robertson.

新加坡最高法院於11月16日監禁這名76歲的英國籍作家6星期，因為他在書中質疑司法的獨立性，因而判決他犯了藐視法庭罪。

Singapore's High Court jailed a 76-year-old British writer for six weeks on Tuesday, finding him guilty of contempt of court in a book questioning the independence of the judiciary.

法官羅昆廷除判決沙德瑞克論及新加坡死刑運用的著作是在醜化法庭外，也科處新加坡幣2萬元（約新台幣46.7萬元）的罰金。

Justice Quentin Loh, who ruled that Alan Shadrake's book on the country's use of the death penalty had scandalized the court, also fined the author S$20,000 ($15,370).

沙德瑞克的律師拉維向《路透》表示：「（就藐視法庭而言）這是最嚴重的判刑，這是迄今最嚴厲的處罰。」

"This is by far the most serious sentence (for contempt). It is the harshest punishment so far," Shadrake's lawyer, M. Ravi, told reporters.

羅昆廷說，沙德瑞克「絲毫無視於事實」且「完全不具悔意」。新加坡的領導者們對於批判是敏感的，過去也曾以誹謗來控告那些具有批判性的國外記者及政治對手。人權倡議者斥責16日的判決，總部設在紐約的「人權觀察組織」亞洲副司長羅柏遜說：「這項判刑是對新加坡言論自由的另一次打擊。……這個案件根本不該被審判，而這個判決對新加坡司法部門所造成的傷害更甚於對它的保護。」

Justice Loh said Shadrake had shown "a reckless disregard for the truth" and "a complete lack of remorse". Singapore's leaders are sensitive to criticism and in the past have sued critical foreign journalists and opposition politicians for defamation. Human rights advocates condemned Tuesday's ruling. "This sentence is yet another blow against freedom of expression in Singapore," said New York-based Human Rights Watch's Deputy Director Phil Robertson. "This case should have never been taken to trial and with this sentence the Singapore judiciary has done more to damage its reputation than to protect it."

（路透Reuters）

關鍵字詞Key words

1. defamation

(n.) 誹謗、中傷

2. contempt

(v.) 蔑視、鄙視

3. mandatory death

(n.) 唯一死刑、強制死刑

4. drug trafficking

(n.) 毒品交易、販毒

5. stifle

(v.) 壓制、扼殺

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