Mr. Thio Shen Yi, President
The Law Society of Singapore
39 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058673
Re: Disciplinary Hearing Against Lawyer M. Ravi
Dear Mr. Thio Shen Yi,
Human Rights Watch understands that there will be a disciplinary hearing against lawyer M. Ravi on August 27-28, 2015 regarding his conduct in several different instances in February 2015. As you may know, Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that works on human rights issues in over 90 different countries around the world.
We have had the opportunity to work with M. Ravi in a number of instances. To his credit, he has been regularly willing to take up cases in Singapore where human rights concerns are central, such as cases involving the death penalty, freedom of expression and speech, and LGBT rights. M. Ravi has provided quality legal counsel no matter how controversial the case or the issues and causes involved, and in doing so has helped make Singapore a better, more humane place.
As you are aware, M. Ravi has a psychosocial disability, specifically bipolar disorder and hypomania, which results in erratic and highly energetic behavior when not properly treated. Human Rights Watch understands that information from medical doctors attributing M. Ravi’s actions in February -- which are at the heart of the complaint and resulting disciplinary hearing against him – to his disability, have reached the Law Society. We also understand that a medical psychiatrist has stated that M. Ravi has undergone treatment, and his condition is now under control due to the appropriate and voluntary administration of medicines and treatment. Finally, we understand that M. Ravi has fully and unreservedly and unconditionally apologized to you, and to the other persons, affected during the four alleged acts of misconduct that are entailed in the Law Society’s case filed against M. Ravi on May 7, 2015 – and that several of the persons involved have accepted that apology.
Singapore is a party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The convention sets out several important principles that are relevant to this case – specifically to ensure “respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity” [article 3(d)] and “that reasonable accommodation is provided to persons with disabilities in the workplace” [article 27 (1)(i)].
Human Rights Watch urges the Law Society and its disciplinary committee to recognize that the episodes under consideration occurred as a direct result of M. Ravi’s disability. By asking the government to promptly extend M. Ravi’s certificate to practice law — allowing him to return to his practice without penalty — and accepting his apologies and his assurances to faithfully continue treatment for his disability, the Law Society would ensure that it was acting in line with the Disability Rights Convention.
We request that you communicate this letter to the members of the disciplinary committee considering M. Ravi’s case, and to urge them to take these considerations fully into account.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Shantha Rau Barriga
Director
Disability Rights Division
Phil Robertson
Deputy Director
Asia Division
