A Temasek Polytechnic (TP) student admitted to posting anti-Islam comments on the social media site Instagram in a district court.
Sun Sicong, a Chinese citizen who is now 21 years old, pled guilty on Friday, May 6, to publishing internet comments with the purpose to offend others' religious feelings.
Between 2018 and 2019, the permanent resident of Singapore committed the offence.
At the time of sentence, two more counts, including one of harassment, will be considered.
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Senthilkumaran Sabapathy, no police complaints were originally submitted in connection with the offensive Instagram stories posted on Sun's account.
According to the court, Instagram stories are erased automatically after 24 hours.
"However, the offensive posts resurfaced online sometime around June 7, 2020, after the accused created and uploaded additional insensitive Instagram stories... containing a screenshot of a rape victim recounting her rape ordeal, along with (lewd and obscenity-laced) comments," the DPP told the court.
When other Instagram users noticed Sun's postings and responded to him, they became outraged.
In doing so, they made reference to screenshots of his past anti-Islamic remarks, which quickly went viral.
They were extensively circulated on the Internet, and police got 62 complaints from members of the public who felt threatened and disturbed after seeing the anti-Islam posts.
In a previous statement, the police said that in June 2020 they got "several complaints on an Instagram user who had posted offensive remarks and threats that might instigate violence against the Muslim community."
According to the authorities, the tweets featured hateful remarks that could stir religious feelings.
The police also said in their statement that they take activities that have the potential to damage racial and religious peace in Singapore seriously.
On Friday, defense attorney Justin Ng told District Judge Kessler Soh that his client was about 18 years old when he wrote the offensive postings and that he committed the crime due to "youthful immaturity."
Mr Ng further said that Sun had been harassed at his previous school for his nationality before to enrolling at the polytechnic.
Sun will be sentenced on June 23. Judge Soh has ordered a report to determine his suitability for probation.
Sun was banned for two consecutive semesters TP said.
"TP does not condone any action or behavior that promotes hate and violence," a spokesman said.
A person convicted of posting online comments with the aim to insult another person's religious feelings faces up to three years in prison and a fine.
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