At IRB Law, our defamation lawyers in Singapore can assist you in stopping the defamatory statements and pursuing compensation for your damages. Our legal team can also help when you are accused of making defamatory statements by negotiating with the opposing party’s lawyers and mounting strong defences in court.
Defamation is a statement about a person or an organization that is false and damages their reputation, well-being, or financial situation. Defamation can occur in written or other permanent form, or through spoken words or even gestures.
In Singapore, you can sue or be sued for defamation under civil or criminal law, depending on the type of defamatory statement. In civil law, the potential consequences for defamation include payment of damages and the costs of the trial. If the case is tried in the criminal system, the penalty under the Singapore Penal Code is imprisonment for up to 2 years and/or a fine.
In defamation cases, libel is a statement made in writing or another permanent form. Examples of libel include defamatory statements published in newspapers, letters, social media, or blog posts online. Importantly, any statement you make by means of telecommunication or broadcast is considered a publication in permanent form.
In libel cases, the person suing for defamation in Singapore does not need to prove any actual damages. The existence of a false statement in written or permanent form communicated to someone and the permanent nature of such statement can be enough for a defamation case.
When comparing libel vs slander in Singapore, the key difference is how the defamation is communicated. While libel is a published defamation, slander occurs through spoken words or gestures.
When suing for slander, you need to prove that you suffered damages as a result of defamatory statements. The exceptions include slanderous statements related to infectious or contagious diseases, unchastity or adultery to any woman or a girl, or words that can be considered as criminal conduct.
Our legal team advises and represents individuals, public figures, financial institutions, and businesses in all legal matters involving defamation, libel, or slander. Our defamation lawyers in Singapore consult and act on all types of defamation cases, including:
Cannot praise the team at IRB Law enough... from Mohamed Baiross's prompt reply to my whatsapp message late in the night, to Hadhri's prompt follow-up and assistance, they made the process of getting of a POA a really smooth one. Given our tight deadline, the team was very patient and super duper helpful in answering our queries and lending the helping hand. Thank you so much again for everything, we really appreciate it. Kudos to the wonderful team! Cheers! 😀
Highly recommended! With their welcoming office, I had a great experience with IRB Law. Kudos to Mr. Ahmad Ghazi, Mr. Baiross, and the rest of the IRB Law team for their efficiency and excellent coordination. Special thanks to Mr. Ahmad Ghazi, who handled my queries with exceptional professionalism, patience, and dedication from the very beginning. He took the time to explain the process clearly, answered all my questions promptly, and provided clear legal advice on possible future scenarios as well. It was all smooth process within 2 weeks!
We engaged IRB for a recent case and had an absolutely wonderful experience with Mr Baiross and Mr Joel. From our very first consultation, we knew we were in good hands. Mr Baiross took the time to understand our situation and walked us through the potential consequences with so much empathy, patience and genuine concern. He never made us feel rushed, and his ability to explain everything clearly gave us a lot of reassurance during what was a very stressful period for us. It was clear from the very first conversation that he genuinely cared about helping us, and we knew we wanted to engage him and his team. We were also incredibly fortunate to work with Joel throughout the process. His friendly and approachable demeanour made it so easy to communicate with him. He always kept us focused on the end goal, while making the entire process feel much less daunting. At times, it genuinely felt like we were discussing things with a friend rather than a lawyer. What we appreciated most about Joel was his ability to empathise with our situation and understand how we were feeling before offering his thoughts and advice. He never made us feel like our concerns were insignificant, and we always felt heard, respected and supported. His professionalism, patience and personal touch really stood out to us. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a team that is not only professional and knowledgeable, but also genuinely empathetic and invested in their clients.
At IRB Law, we have years of experience representing clients facing defamatory statements and those who have been accused of such statements, including individuals, public figures, and businesses.
As a full-service law firm, IRB Law can assist you in all legal matters related to defamation, including civil and criminal cases, negotiating on your behalf with the opposing party, and pursuing your best interests in court.
Our defamation lawyers in Singapore are always accessible to clients and ensure seamless communication to stop infringements and pursue damages in defamation cases in the most effective way possible.
Mohamed Baiross is the managing partner of IRB Law and one of the nation's leading lawyers in multiple practice areas, including civil, corporate, and commercial law. With over three decades of experience as a business lawyer, Mohamed Baiross has built a renowned corporate law firm in Singapore, providing expert legal services to global corporations and local businesses.
Kulvinder Kaur is a prominent commercial and corporate lawyer and an expert in litigation matters. Kaur is well-known in all courts of Singapore for strong legal representation in the most complex cases across multiple practice areas.
In case you have a criminal case against you for defamation, the prosecution will need to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In either case, it’s best to retain an experienced defamation lawyer in Singapore as early as possible to mount a strong defence strategy.
In the case of verbal defamatory statements or slander, you generally need to show that you suffered actual damage unless the defamatory statement falls under a limited number of exceptions. These exceptions include imputing contagious or infectious diseases, unchastity or adultery in a woman or a girl, or criminal conduct.
It is also advisable to speak to defamation lawyers in Singapore as early as possible, whether you have a criminal or civil defamation case. Please don’t hesitate to contact an IRB Law defamation lawyer in Singapore for a free consultation on your options and how we can assist you.