Alan Shadrake, 75, released on bail after book about country's death penalty led to defamation and contempt of court charges

This article is more than 10 years old

This article is more than 10 years old

The veteran British journalist and author Alan Shadrake was released on bail in Singapore today after his arrest on suspicion of criminal defamation in relation to his book on the city-state's death penalty.

Shadrake, 75, was detained on Sunday after a complaint from the government's media development authority. He posted S$10,000 (£4,766) bail, and police are holding his passport, according to his lawyer, M Ravi.

Shadrake told reporters outside the police complex after he was freed: "I'm feeling pretty shaken at the moment..

"I've been awake almost the entire time since they dragged me out of bed at 6am Sunday morning. I've had a few hours sleep on a very hard floor. I've been sitting at a desk being interrogated all day long explaining all the chapters of the book: going into the history of the book, my research, why I did the book."

Shadrake was in Singapore to promote Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock, which contains accounts of high-profile cases in Singapore involving the use of the death penalty and includes interviews with a former executioner, Darshan Singh. In publicity material for the book, Margaret John, from Amnesty International Canada, described it as "a timely contribution to growing criticism of Singapore's shameful use of the death penalty".

The attorney general's office is also seeking contempt of court charges against Shadrake because, it alleges, statements in the book may impugn the impartiality, integrity and independence of the judiciary. A judge will hear the contempt of court charges at the country's high court on 30 July.

Criminal defamation carries a sentence of up to two years in jail, a fine, or both.

The media authority said yesterday it had not banned the sale of the book in Singapore. The book was initially published in Malaysia by a Malaysian publishing company.

Singapore imposes the death penalty for crimes such as murder, and a mandatory death sentence for drug trafficking.