Amos Yee released on bail, leaves Changi Prison Complex after completion of preliminary investigations

SINGAPORE: Amos Yee Pang Sang left Changi Prison Complex with his mother on Thursday (Mar 26) following a one-week remand period for preliminary investigations over charges related to his national service obligations. 

The 27-year-old attended a court hearing via videolink on Thursday morning in his first re-mention since he was charged with offences under the Enlistment Act about a week ago. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jia En told the court that preliminary investigations requiring Yee's remand have been completed and that the prosecution was not objecting to bail of S$10,000 to S$20,000 being offered under certain conditions. He noted that Yee had previously absconded following his 2015 and 2016 offences.

He requested that Yee be contactable by an enlistment inspector at all times, although noting that Yee had no mobile phone.

If let out on bail, Yee should instead contact the enlistment inspector immediately upon release, Mr Tay said.

Yee should also be restricted from making public commentaries on social media regarding his case to prevent sub judice content, Mr Tay said, noting that Yee had recently made blog posts on his NS obligations. 

He added that other usual conditions should apply, including that Yee be restricted from leaving Singapore.

The court heard that Yee had been issued a document of identity as his passport has expired.

District Judge Wong Peck allowed the prosecution's application and fixed the case for a pre-trial conference on Apr 23.

When asked by the judge if he intended to plead guilty or claim trial, Yee, in a white shirt and sporting long hair, said he would like to think about the matter. 

The judge then asked Yee if there was anyone to post bail for him, and Yee replied: "I believe so." 

Judge Wong allowed him a phone call to arrange for bail.

Yee's mother, Madam Mary Toh, was present in court for her son's hearing and headed into the bail centre after the case was adjourned. 

She confirmed to CNA that she would be posting bail for her son but said she would not be hiring a lawyer for him. 

When approached after settling bail proceedings, Mdm Toh declined to comment on her son's case but said she had not seen him since he left for the United States. She also nodded when asked if she would be picking him up from remand.

Yee, dressed in a dark blue shirt, black shorts and slippers, exited Changi Prison Complex at 12.16pm on Thursday with a piece of paper in hand. He then sat at the waiting area.

When asked by CNA if he was considering a lawyer or how he would plead, Yee said he would like to keep it "private". 

Asked how he felt about returning to Singapore under such circumstances, Yee said he was "excited to continue his political activism" here, but acknowledged that he could not speak about his case as part of his bail conditions.

On seeing his mother after such a long time, Yee described it as a "very exciting family reunion".

"Not just my mum, I've been contacting (her) regularly while I was in the US. But some people, like my dad ... I haven't even talked to them for over 10 years," he said.

He also spoke briefly about his jail time in the US, which he described as a "vacation resort" compared with Singapore's "hell on earth". 

"In the US, there was a TV, you are out most of the time. Well here, there isn't a TV, it's essentially hell on earth. You only have a cell, a few cell mates and a few books," he said. 

Mdm Toh arrived at 12.29pm to smiles and greetings from her son. Mother and son then embraced before leaving the premises on foot. 

HISTORY

Yee was arrested by Central Manpower Base Enlistment Inspectors at Changi Airport on Mar 20, after he was deported from the US.

He was charged in the State Courts the same day with three charges related to his national service obligations.

These are for failing to report for pre-enlistment medical screening for more than nine years, from Apr 26, 2016, to Mar 19, 2026.

Yee also stands accused of leaving Singapore without valid exit permits over two periods. These span from Dec 13, 2015, to Apr 19, 2016, and from Dec 15, 2016 to Mar 19, 2026.

Yee left Singapore for the United States in 2016 after several run-ins with the law.

In 2015, Yee, then 16, was jailed in Singapore for wounding religious feelings by making remarks about Christians.

He was jailed again and fined about a year later for making remarks about Christians and Muslims.

Yee was granted asylum by the US in 2017, but fell foul of the law for possession of child pornography and grooming a minor in October 2020.

He was sentenced to six years' jail after pleading guilty in the US in December 2021.

Halfway through his sentence, he was granted parole but was taken back into custody soon after for violating parole conditions.

In November last year, Yee was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he was released on parole from the Danville Correctional Center in Illinois.

He was then deported to Singapore.

Under the Enlistment Act, NS defaulters could be jailed for up to three years and/or fined up to S$10,000 upon conviction.