Man jailed for inciting violence, threatening judge who dismissed Section 377A challenges

SINGAPORE — A man was jailed for seven months on Thursday (April 22) for making multiple threatening posts on social media against a judge who dismissed challenges to a law that criminalises sex between men.

Muhammad Hanif Mohamed Huzairi, 31, pleaded guilty last month to two counts of communicating an incitement to violence and one count of making threatening communication against a public servant. Another two charges were considered in sentencing.

High Court judge Justice See Kee Oon upheld on March 30 last year that Section 377A of the Penal Code is constitutional, after three men mounted challenges against it.

After the verdict, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) support organisation Pink Dot SG issued a statement on Instagram expressing its disappointment at the result.

Hanif had been following the case closely and said he was upset and disappointed to hear the news.

Thinking that the judges "had to be replaced", he commented on Pink Dot SG's post and his own public Instagram account with threats and incitements to violence.

At 4.02pm on March 30, 2020, he posted an Instagram story saying: "To the deadass boomer of a judge who dismissed the challenges against S377A, you better f*****g watch out!!"

After this, he commented on Pink Dot SG's Instagram post saying: "Time to hunt down the oppressive judges, who basically maintained the legalisation of discrimination against us, and make them pay the ultimate price."

Another Instagram story he posted that night read: "Can we please torture the corrupted judges until they f*****g crumble & repeal S377A on the spot!? Pretty please, I'd love to personally torture them to their breaking point."

The prosecution called for seven months' jail, saying that it falls upon the law to "protect its guardians" and that "any unhappiness with judicial decisions, however controversial, should be aired respectfully, and challenges to judicial decisions should be made through proper legal avenues".

They added that Hanif demonstrated contempt for Justice See, a senior member of the judiciary, by referring to him as a "deadass boomer" and accusing him of legalising discrimination.

For communicating an incitement to violence, he could have been jailed for up to five years, fined, or both. For making threatening communication against a public servant, he could have been jailed up to a year, fined up to S$5,000, or both. CNA

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