On March 17, 2004, a Singapore court sentenced Dr. Chee Soon Juan, leader of Singapore Democratic Party, to one day in jail and fined him S$6000 ($3,700) for contempt of court after questioning the independence and integrity of the judiciary system. The court had ordered to increase the jail sentence to seven days if Mr. Chee failed to make the payment within one day. The hearings on the case, which found him guilty, took place on March 16, 2006. Following the sentencing on March 17, Mr. Chee was immediately arrested and transferred to the Queenstown Remand Prison. It was feared that Mr. Chee would receive a much more sever sentence, but thanks to the pressure from the international community a long sentence was avoided.

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