Smiling teen charged for YouTube attack on Lee

Amos Yee

A teenager arrested after posting an expletive-laden YouTube video attacking the country's late founding leader Lee Kuan Yew and Christianity was charged on Tuesday with offenses including obscenity and hurting religious feelings.

Amos Yee, a student, smiled and fidgeted as charges were read to him in a district court. He was released on S$20,000 ($14,500) bail.

Yee, who at 16 is old enough to be tried as an adult and could face prison, was already known in the local YouTube community for humorous postings and a bit role as a child actor in a comedy movie called We Not Naughty.

Yee was charged on three counts, including one for actions that have the "deliberate intention of wounding the religious or racial feelings of any person".

He was also charged with circulating on his blog an obscene object - a graphic cartoon of Lee with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher - as well as making threatening, abusive or insulting communication under the city-state's newly-enacted Protection From Harassment Act.

In an eight-minute video titled Lee Kuan Yew is Finally Dead, Yee launched a scathing attack on the 91-year-old political patriarch, who was cremated after a state funeral on Sunday.

In the video, Yee, who was arrested on the day of the funeral, likened Singapore's first prime minister to Jesus as he launched a tirade against Christianity.

He called Lee, who did not profess any religion, a "horrible person" and challenged the former leader's son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, to sue him.

The judge ordered Yee to refrain from making any social media postings while the case is pending. The next hearing is scheduled for April 17.

Outside the courtroom, his father clasped his hands and told reporters: "I would like to take this opportunity to say very sorry to PM Lee".

In an online petition to the Singapore government on activist website change.org, petitioners have called for Yee's release. It had garnered more than 1,500 supporters by Tuesday afternoon.