FREMONT: Gopalan Nair, a Fremont lawyer and an immigration firm owner has been arrested in Singapore for criticizing a judge. He is stuck in a legal limbo as a libel case looms against him for writing a blog against the Singapore Government. Nair traveled to his native Singapore last month to observe the defamation trial of some opposition political leaders.

While there, he criticized a judge on his blog for "prostituting herself" for the government. His passport has been confiscated, and he awaits a court appearance on July 14, according to a report in Mercury News. The report said that he is also is accused of calling another judge "corrupt" two years ago in another e-mail.

He said the case against him could lead to fines of about $7,000 and up to two years in jail for his blog comments, which are garnering sympathy in the free-spirited photosphere. "No charge has been formally tendered in court, and to date no plea has been taken from me," said Nair.

"The police are constantly requiring me to attend interrogation sessions." On his blog, Nair described the situation by comparing Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe, who recently thwarted an election that favored an opponent, with Singapore’s ruling family patriarch, Lee Kuan Yew. "Mugabe uses guns to stay in power," Nair said, "Lee uses the courts."

Although the US Embassy has been supportive, Nair said representatives "naturally said that they cannot directly intervene in this matter since it is a matter of Singaporean laws and domestic affairs." Margaret John, an Amnesty International coordinator who has monitored human rights in Singapore, said the government has a history of going after dissidents by using defamation suits and driving opponents into bankruptcy for speaking out.

With print journalists wary of making waves in a nation that denies free speech, she said Nair’s arrest is the latest example of a government that has turned to targeting Web reporters. "Dissidents are increasingly turning to Internet newsletters as an alternative to news they see in the government-controlled media," John said.

"So the Internet is now seen as a threat to the government." When the charges do officially move forward, he said, "Of course I intend to plead not guilty." Argus staff wirter Todd R. Brown and Mercury News staff writer Patrick May reported this story.