false evidence. The government of Singapore contended that the article contained errors of fact and sought a correction. Time refused to print the lengthy text presented, and stood by the story printed. However, it offered to print an edited version of the Government's letter.
On October 15, 1986, the Singapore government declared Time magazine a gazetted publication under the Newspaper and Print Presses Act, reducing its circulation from 18,000 to 2,000. Subsequently, on December 1, 1986, Time re- considered and published the reply as originally presented.
b. Dispute With the Asian Wall Street Journal
In the December 12, 1986 issue, the Asian Wall Street Journal carried an article entitled "Sin- gapore Exchange Puzzles Financiers" relating to plans for a proposed second securities market in Singapore. On that date, the Monetary Au- thority of Singapore wrote the Asian Wall Street Journal disputing certain portions of the article and requesting that its letter be printed. The Asian Wall Street Journal refused to do so, maintaining that the article was fair and accu- rate and that personally derogatory claims about its reporter were unjustified and im- proper.
On February 9, 1987, the Singapore govern- ment gazetted the Asian Wall Street Journal and reduced the daily circulation from 4,800 copies to 400 copies.
Summary of Singapore Discussions
In Singapore, the delegation also met with local journalists and foreign correspondents. There was a frank exchange of views on the effect of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act and the actions that had been taken against Time magazine and the Asian Wall Street Journal. It was clear, as it had been in Hong Kong, that this legislation had a serious effect on these journalists and limited their freedom to report, particu- larly on investigative stories. Moreover, it appeared that the disciplinary actions against the two publications had created an apprehension on the part of some editors that similar reprisals might be taken against them if the reporting did not
meet with the approval of government authorities.
The delegation met with Dr. Yeo Ning Gong, Minister of Information; Mr. James Fu, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister; and staff members of the Ministry of Information. These officials argued strongly the need for the restrictive provisions of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act and rejected the request of the delegation that the current restric- tions on circulation be removed, and the legislation repealed.
The delegation pointed out that freedom of the press is an inherent right of the individual and that it is protected by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The delegation emphasized that Singapore's image as a dynamic nation with impressive economic growth and a highly literate population was being sadly tarnished by re- stricting the circulation of publications with whom the gov- ernment disagree. It emphasized that these restrictions had international significance and that censorship of this nature could provide encouragement to other governments to sup- press or manipulate the media.
The delegation received no encouragement that the gov- ernment of Singapore was prepared to repeal the disputed provisions of the legislation. In response, Singapore officials were informed that the World Press Freedom Committee and its affiliates had no recourse but to appeal to public opinion throughout the free world, through the United Nations and other appropriate forums. In these discussions, the delega- tion refrained from going into specifics of the two cases re- ferred to-Time magazine and the Asian Wall Street Jour- nal. Instead, there was emphasis upon the broad principles, such as the requirement of Article 19, that are involved.
One week after the delegation left Singapore, the restric- tion on the circulation of Time magazine was lifted and its circulation restored. We are hopeful that the ban will be removed against the Asian Wall Street Journal and that there will be no similar action taken in the future against any publication, domestic or foreign, circulating in Singapore.
At the conclusion of its meetings in Singapore, the delega- tion held a press conference, at which time it released a statement on the matters involved which is attached (At- tachment D).
Conclusion
The delegation concludes that:
1. The legislation recently adopted in Hong Kong has had a
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