TOC Editor Terry Xu Found Guilty Of Defaming Cabinet Members, Gets 3 Weeks’ Jail

Terry Xu & TOC Contributor Get Jail For Article That Defames Cabinet Members

The now-defunct site The Online Citizen (TOC) was previously known as a platform for political activism in Singapore.

However, its editor Xu Yuanchen, also known as Terry Xu, has run into legal troubles over the years.

The latest involves Xu and a TOC contributor named Daniel De Costa Augustin over a published letter defaming cabinet members.

On Thursday (21 Apr), both Xu and De Costa were sentenced to three weeks’ jail for criminal defamation.

Xu approves publication of article that defames government officers

In Sep 2018, TOC contributor De Costa sent an email titled ‘PAP MP apologises to SDP’ to TOC.

On the same day, Xu approved the publication of an article titled ‘The Take Away From Seah Kian Ping’s Facebook Post’. It was emailed to TOC with PAP MP Seah Kian Peng’s name misspelt.

The article claimed that Singapore has seen “multiple policy and foreign screw-ups” as well as “tampering of the Constitution”. It also stated that there was “corruption at the highest echelons”.

According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the article was sent by De Costa using Mr Sim Wee Lee’s email account. He also submitted the report under the name Willy Sum which Mr Sim sometimes goes by.

Previously, Mr Sim had given De Costa permission to use his email account for some other matters. It was only later that Mr Sim realised De Costa had sent such articles criticising government officers in his name without permission.

Xu and De Costa went to trial and were found guilty of criminal defamation in Nov 2021 despite contesting their charges.

De Costa also had an additional charge of unauthorised access to an email account not belonging to him.

Terry Xu sentenced to three weeks’ jail

For approving the publication which defamed Cabinet members by alleging them of corruption, 39-year-old Xu was sentenced to three weeks’ jail on Thursday (21 Apr).

On the other hand, 38-year-old De Costa was sentenced to three months and three weeks’ jail, reported The Straits Times (ST).

For criminal defamation, Xu and De Costa could have been jailed for up to two years and fined.

Additionally, for unauthorised computer access, De Costa could have been jailed up to two years’, fined up to $5,000, or both.

Plans to appeal conviction

After the sentencing on Thursday (21 Apr), Xu took to Facebook to clarify his viewpoints on the case and share his thoughts.

In the post, he opined that police investigations and the charge given to him by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) were “selective and unfair”.

Although he plans on appealing the conviction, Xu said he’s not opting for a stay of sentence and will start serving his sentence immediately.

Since Sep 2021, TOC’s website has been taken offline after its class licence was suspended by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

Eroding public trust in the government can be irreparable

While the sentencing might seem harsh, Xu, as editor, was held responsible for the way TOC influences public opinion.

After all, corruption is a harsh accusation and eroding public trust in the government can be irreparable.

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Featured image adapted from Justclick.sg and MS News.