M Ravi jailed for 14 weeks for harassment and causing hurt, issues sincere apology

SINGAPORE: Singaporean anti-death penalty activist and former lawyer M Ravi has been sentenced to 14 weeks in jail after pleading guilty to charges of voluntarily causing hurt, harassment, and causing a public nuisance.

In addition to the jail term, Ravi, 55, was fined S$5,500 (US$4,120) and ordered by a district court to pay S$30 in compensation to one of his victims.

The disbarred human rights lawyer, who lost his license in May, admitted to the charges last month.

His offences include attacking two paralegals at a law firm, slapping a man at a bookstore in Chinatown, and pushing a restaurant worker and a temple priest in separate incidents.

According to CNA, during sentencing on 2 August, Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan largely dismissed the defence’s request to consider M Ravi’s bipolar condition as a mitigating factor.

Judge Tan’s decision was influenced by several factors: despite having insight into his condition for many years, Ravi had failed to fully comply with his treatment and medication. However, the judge did acknowledge Ravi’s bipolar condition to some extent for the earliest offences, which occurred around the same time as his contempt of court cases.

The High Court had also considered Ravi’s bipolar condition when sentencing him to 21 days in jail for contempt of court. Despite this, prosecutors argued that no mitigating weight should be given to his bipolar disorder in the current case.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh noted that a recent judgment on sentencing principles for offenders with mental conditions had been issued around the same time as the High Court’s judgment, suggesting that the High Court may not have been able to reference these new principles.

The prosecution had requested a jail term of 18 to 24 weeks and a fine, while Ravi’s defence lawyers, Mr Eugene Thuraisingam and Mr Ng Yuan Siang, argued for a maximum of seven weeks in jail and a fine.

Ravi, who has been involved in several high-profile death row cases in Singapore, had previously been fined for disorderly behaviour in 2004 and was given a mandatory treatment order (MTO) in 2018 for his bipolar disorder following charges of causing hurt and trespassing.

In November 2023, he was sentenced to 21 days in jail for nine instances of contempt of court, marking his first jail sentence. He was disbarred shortly after for improper conduct.

In sentencing, Judge Tan rejected several arguments from the defence. The defence had claimed that lapses in Ravi’s behaviour were “inherent” to his bipolar condition.

However, the judge found it unreasonable to expect a psychiatrist to continue follow-ups and medication if the condition itself made compliance unlikely.

The defence also argued that Ravi had complied with treatment for some offences, but Judge Tan noted that there was no substantial evidence of full compliance beyond Ravi’s own assertions.

He emphasized that Ravi must recognize that failure to adhere to his treatment and medication has serious consequences, both for himself and the public.

Judge Tan described the sentence as a “stern reminder” of the critical importance of Ravi’s full adherence to his treatment regimen. He stated that the jail term would provide Ravi with time to “become accustomed” to the necessity of taking his medication in a disciplined manner.

“Ultimately, it is only by the accused helping himself through being more disciplined and determined as regards compliance with his medication-taking and treatment can he hope to adequately address his bipolar disorder, and avoid causing harm to others, as well as damage to himself, in the future,” said the judge.

Mr Ravi offers a heartfelt apology

Following his sentencing, Mr Ravi expressed regret in a Facebook post, acknowledging that his actions were a result of a hypomanic episode and that he should have taken better precautions to manage his bipolar disorder.

He offered a heartfelt apology, stating, “It was never my intention to hurt anyone. After my sentence, I hope to make amends to not only the people I have hurt but also members of the public who have lost confidence in me for my relapse.”

At the same time, Ravi expressed disappointment with the court’s decision, arguing that imprisoning someone with a mental health condition does not address the root causes of their behaviour.

He referenced the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, advocating for a restorative approach in the criminal justice system that integrates treatment and rehabilitation as essential components for maintaining societal order.

Looking ahead, Ravi plans to contribute by volunteering and advocating for the rights of individuals with psychological conditions.