Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong wins lawsuit!

Don't they know who they are defaming? One of Singapore / Asia / the World's most famous politician we are talking about. And can't that Chee Soon Juan just back off?

Wonder how much damages will be awarded to the Lees.

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SINGAPORE, Sept 24, 2008 (AFP) - A banned Hong Kong-based magazine and its editor defamed Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his son, the city-state's High Court has ruled, in the latest legal ruling against government critics.

Justice Woo Bih Li, in a decision obtained Wednesday by AFP, ruled that the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) defamed the elder Lee and his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The Lees sued the magazine's editor Hugo Restall and Hong Kong-based Review Publishing, its owners, alleging defamation in a 2006 article based on an interview with Chee Soon Juan, an opposition party leader.

The article entitled "Singapore's 'Martyr,' Chee Soon Juan," described the Singapore Democratic Party secretary general's battle against the ruling People's Action Party and its leaders.

In the article, Restall also touched on Singapore officials' success in libel suits against critics

Dismissing objections by the defendants' lawyers, Woo issued his decision by summary judgment, meaning no trial was held.

Dismissing objections by the defendants' lawyers, Woo issued his decision by summary judgment, meaning no trial was held.

Damages will be assessed later.

Singaporean leaders have won hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages in defamation cases against critics and foreign publications, which they say are necessary to protect their reputations from unfounded attacks.

The city-state banned distribution of FEER in September 2006, saying it had failed to comply with media regulations.

(News from Yahoo)