Singapore blogger faces fresh insulting Islam charges

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By Kirsten Han

SINGAPORE (AA) - A teen blogger previously jailed for wounding religious feelings is once again in trouble with Singapore authorities after being charged Thursday with eight related fresh accounts and failing to report to the police for investigations.

Amos Yee, 17, did not have a lawyer when he was charged in court Thursday morning.

He faces six counts of wounding religious feelings for the publication of videos including remarks and/or rude gestures against Islam and Christianity, as well as two counts of failing to report to the police for investigation.

The alleged offenses were committed between November last year and early May this year.

Yee was arrested earlier this month after he failed to report to the police May 10, despite an order issued by a magistrate.

He is currently out on bail of S$5,000 ($3632).

Police had launched an investigation into whether his social media posts were religiously offensive in December.

A notice was issued for him to report to Jurong Police Division for questioning, but he failed to do so, choosing instead to go "on the run".

Although local newspaper The Straits Times reported that he had left the country, when contacted by Yee declined Thursday to confirm to Anadolu Agency where he had been.

Yee's mother, Mary Toh, told Anadolu Agency that a pre-trial conference has been scheduled for Monday morning.

Yee made headlines last year when he was arrested shortly after the death of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

He had published an anti-Lee rant on YouTube -- in which he also criticized Christianity -- and also a graphic image of Lee engaged in a sexual act with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

He was found guilty of making offensive remarks against Christianity and distributing obscene material, and later sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment.