THE Court of Appeal found that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and Singapore Prison Service (SPS) were in breach of confidence and acted unlawfully over the exchange of a number of letters belonging to 13 death-row inmates.
The court, comprising Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Senior Judge Judith Prakash and Justice Steven Chong, affirmed on Oct 11 the importance of a prisoner’s ownership over his correspondence and his right, within the bounds of the law, to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of his communications.
In a written judgment, the court noted that the AGC and the SPS, which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), have since taken steps to remedy the situation.