Tag: lese_majeste

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Thai politics

Thailand’s Latest Lèse-Majesté Case: 20 Year Sentence for Insulting SMS Messages

The AP reports:

Thailand’s criminal court sentenced a 61-year-old man to 20 years in prison Wednesday for sending text messages deemed offensive to the country’s queen.

The court found Amphon Tangnoppaku guilty on four counts under the country’s lese majeste and computer crime laws, sentencing him to five years imprisonment for each charge.

Lese majeste is the crime of insulting a monarch, and Thailand’s laws against it are the most severe in the world. Even repeating the details of an alleged offence is illegal.

The court said Mr. Amphon had sent offensive text messages in May 2010 to a personal secretary of then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Mr. Amphon denied the charges, saying he was unfamiliar with the text message function on mobile phones and did not know the recipient of the message.

The New York Times says:

A retired truck driver was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday for sending cellphone text messages that a court deemed insulting to Thailand’s monarchy.

The conviction is the latest in a growing number of cases in Thailand under a law imposing harsh penalties for making insults or threats directed at King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 83, and his family, even in private communications.

Bloomberg reports:

A Thai court sentenced a retired truck driver to 20 years in prison for sending text messages that threatened and defamed Queen Sirikit, one of the longest jail terms given under laws protecting the royal family.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Pundit has some analysis.

There are already multiple stories from AP, AFP, BBC etc. Amnesty International have already issued a statement stating he is a political prisoner and almost certainly a prisoner of conscience – BP understands Human Rights Watch will likely issue a statement as well – and well the severity of the sentence for insults sent by text message puts lese majeste back in the spotlight particularly given the personal circumstances of the person convicted. His plight will likely invoke more sympathy than for other cases. If there is going to be a poster child (for want of a better word) of the problems of lese majeste law and its application then this is the case. How will the government respond? Will this be one of the lese majeste cases reviewed? (or will the reviews only apply to those yet to proceed to prosecution?)

(All emphasis mine.)

For posts on various past cases, see the lèse-majesté tag.

Categories
Thai politics

AP: “Thai accused of insulting Thai monarch on Facebook”

The AP reports today that:

A Thai lawyer says police have arrested a computer programmer on charges of insulting the nation’s revered monarch on a Facebook page. The charges carry a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

Categories
Thailand

More on American citizen arrested on lese majeste charges

An update to my post from Friday:

In a May 27 story, the New York Times calls the arrest “the latest in a string of cases…”

As I mentioned on Friday, there are also stories from the BBC and Reuters.

Today’s Bangkok Post says the man faces a “new security charge”:

A Thai-born man with American citizenship arrested on a charge of lese majeste has also been charged with committing an offence against national security, Department of Special Investigation chief Tharit Pengdit says.

This has provided grounds for the DSI to oppose the man’s request for bail, Mr Tharit said.

Lerpong Wichaikhammat, also known as Joe Gordon, is being held in a Bangkok prison after a court denied his request for bail.

(Emphasis mine.)

Categories
Thailand

American arrested on lese majeste charges

A quick note to point out a story that has just emerged today. The AP reports:

An American has been arrested in Thailand for allegedly insulting its monarchy, a serious offense in this Southeast Asian nation punishable by up to 15 years in jail. The U.S. Embassy confirmed the arrest but gave few details.

There’s more from AFP.

UPDATE: There are also stories, now, from the BBC and Reuters.

Categories
Misc.

Thai academic flees to England to escape lese majeste charge

AP: “Thai academic accused of insulting monarchy flees“:

A prominent academic facing 15 years in prison for allegedly insulting Thailand’s monarchy fled to England, saying Monday he does not believe he will receive a fair trial.

Ji Ungpakorn, a political scientist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, was charged last month under the so-called lese majeste law over a book about Thailand’s 2006 military coup. His case is the latest in a spate of prosecutions and increased censorship of Web sites allegedly critical of the royal family.

“There is no justice in Thailand,” said Ji in an e-mail sent Monday to The Associated Press. “The regime seems to be inching toward a police state.”

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy but has severe lese majeste laws, mandating a jail term of three to 15 years for “whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir to the throne or the Regent.”

So far there’s nothing in the Bangkok Post or the Nation. But stay tuned.

Categories
Misc.

Australian writer gets three-year prison term for insulting Thai monarchy

AFP: “Australian jailed for three years for insulting Thai king”

A Thai court on Monday sentenced an Australian writer to three years in jail after finding him guilty of insulting Thailand’s revered royal family in a novel, a judge said.

Harry Nicolaides, 41, had pleaded guilty to the charge earlier on Monday. He has been in custody for nearly five months.

“He was found guilty under criminal law article 112 and the court has sentenced him to six years, but due to his confession, which is beneficial to the case, the sentence is reduced to three years,” a judge told the court.

“He has written a book that slandered the king, the crown prince and Thailand and the monarchy,” the judge added.

Bangkok Pundit has more info. Here’s an AP story. And here’s one from the IHT. For context, I suggest this CSM story: “Thais tighten ban on royal slurs.”