British author Alan Shadrake, who was arrested on Sunday morning while he was in Singapore to launch his book, was released on bail today.

The 75-year-old, whose ‘Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock’ highlighted injustice in the Singapore judiciary system, was released after a local activist posted his S$10,000 bail.

NONEBut Shadrake’s (left) passport has been impounded and he is not allowed to leave the country, said his lawyer M Ravi in a Malaysiakini telephone interview.         

“He (Shadrake) had been served a ‘contempt of court’ order for scandalising the judiciary. The hearing will be on July 30,” he said.

Ravi said that the police wants to question Shadrake at 2pm today at the station, to further investigate issues of alleged criminal defamation contained in his book.

However, Ravi said he is not allowed to accompany Shadrake for the questioning.

Questioned without lawyer

The lawyer said while in detention, Shadrake was queried on his motivation for writing the book, why was he involved in the project and whether he had scandalised the judiciary.

NONE“My client denied all these allegations, and maintain that he only wrote the truth,” said Ravi, adding that Shadrake was not ill-treated but is tired after undergoing the ordeal.

Although the book was not banned in Singapore, its contents is highly damaging to the republic’s squeaky clean image.

A Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman has reportedly said, “Shadrake is now under investigation for criminal defamation. He is also the subject of contempt of court proceedings initiated by the attorney-general's chambers.

“His anti-death penalty views are not the issue in these investigations; it is his violation of the laws of Singapore (that is the issue).

Anyone, Singaporean or otherwise, who breaks the law regardless of the cause he touts, will be taken to task. Shadrake is no exception - he cannot expect to commit offences and then assume that he will be exempted from being held accountable under the law.”