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Former TRS editor Yang Kaiheng found guilty of sedition

SINGAPORE — Yang Kaiheng, who co-founded sociopolitical site The Real Singapore, was convicted on Friday (June 24) of six counts of sedition involving articles published on the now-defunct site.

Former TRS editor Yang Kaiheng in court on June 24, 2016. Photo: Robin Choo

Former TRS editor Yang Kaiheng in court on June 24, 2016. Photo: Robin Choo

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SINGAPORE — Yang Kaiheng, who co-founded sociopolitical site The Real Singapore, was convicted on Friday (June 24) of six counts of sedition involving articles published on the now-defunct site.

The 27-year-old faces up to three years’ jail and/or a fine of up to S$5,000 for each sedition charge.

A seventh count of sedition and an eighth charge for failing to produce financial statements on the website’s advertising revenue to the police will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced.

Prosecutors said Yang had indicated his decision to plead guilty last week, after disputing the charges over seven days of hearing in March and April.

The court heard that Yang and his then-girlfriend Ai Takagi — whom Yang has since married — were responsible for the development, operation and maintenance of the website, which launched in June 2012. The duo were jointly involved in developing the site as a business venture, the court heard.

Yang had initially denied all involvement in the distribution and proprietorship of TRS, which ran the seven articles for which he is charged with sedition.

These “egregious” articles, in the words of the prosecution, included a Feb 4, 2015, article that erroneously claimed a Filipino family had caused an incident between the police and Thaipusam participants by complaining about the playing of musical instruments during the procession.

The other charges relate to articles that were published between October 2013 and February last year and that were said to risk inciting ill-will and hostility among various groups in Singapore, such as ethnic Indians, Philippine nationals and individuals from the People’s Republic of China working here.

Yang’s charges were identical to that of Takagi, 23, who was convicted and sentenced to 10 months’ jail in March.

The court heard that the duo had used advertising revenue generated from TRS to pay off a home loan, among other things.

On Friday, the prosecution also charged Yang with lying during the course of investigations and while he was on the stand.

The matter has been adjourned to June 28 for both parties to make submissions.

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