Singapore's High Court ruled the Wall Street Journal Asia in contempt of court for publishing two editorials and a letter to the editor that the government says damaged the reputation of the country’s judicial system. The court also fined the newspaper 25,000 Singapore dollars ($16,591).

Justice Tay Yong Kwang ruled on Tuesday against the newspaper and two of its editors, three weeks after Attorney General Walter Woon argued the editorials published in June and July questioned the judiciary’s independence from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the ruling People’s Action Party. Not meting out punishment in this case would undermine the country’s rule of law, the court said.

The letter to the editor was written by Chee Soon Juan, head of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party.

“In my opinion, all three publications contained insinuations of bias, lack of impartiality and lack of independence and implied that the judiciary is subservient to Mr Lee and/or the PAP and is a tool for silencing political dissent,” Tay wrote in the ruling. “The three publications are in contempt of court because the allegations by way of insinuations clearly possess the inherent tendency to interfere with the administration of justice.”