Where insulting royalty will put you in jail

February 21st, 2013

An editor was last month sentenced to 11 years in prison, for “defaming” the country’s king. Geoffrey Cain reports on how Thailand’s lèse majesté laws have chilled free speech

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UAE: Activist deported to Thailand

July 17th, 2012

The United Arab Emirates deported an online activist to Thailand yesterday, it has been reported. Ahmed Abdul Khaleq was stripped of his rights to live in the country as a result of his campaigning. His website included appeals for a greater public role in the UAE’s political affairs. Political parties are banned in the Gulf nation. Khaleq was among five other activists who were convicted last year of anti-state crimes for insulting the UAE’s leaders. They were later pardoned, but the charges against them were not officially dropped.

Chiranuch Premchaiporn avoids jail term in Thai lèse majesté case

May 30th, 2012

Chiranuch Premchaiporn, director of the news and current affairs website Prachatai, was today convicted by the Bangkok Criminal court and sentenced to a fine and a suspended eight month prison term

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Thailand: Webmaster Chiranuch Premchaiporn sentenced in lèse majesté case

May 30th, 2012

A Thai webmaster has been found guilty of not removing posts deemed insulting to the country’s monarchy quickly enough. The court showed leniency to Chiranuch Premchaiporn, who faced up to 20 years in prison under the country’s computer crime laws. She was fined 20,000 baht ($625),  and given an eight month suspended sentence. Chiranuch was prosecuted after comments posted on her website Prachatai news breached Thailand’s lèse majesté laws. The judge said the verdict followed one particular post that was left on Parachatai for 20 days. Judge Kampol Rungrat said Chiranuch “did not perform her duty in a timely manner”.

Thailand: “Uncle SMS” dies during 20-year jail term for insulting monarchy

May 8th, 2012

A Thai man in his 60s who became known as “Uncle SMS” after he was convicted of defaming Thailand’s royal family in text messages has died while serving his 20-year prison term. Amphon Tangnoppakul, whose cause of death was unknown, was arrested in August 2010 and accused of sending four text messages to a government official that were deemed offensive to the queen. He denied sending them, claiming he did not know how to do so. He was convicted of defaming the Thai monarchy last November.  

Thailand: Webmaster’s lese majeste verdict delayed

April 30th, 2012

A verdict in the trial of a webmaster accused of failing to quickly remove online comments deemed insulting to Thailand’s royalty has been postponed. Judge Nittaya Yaemsri said more time was needed to process documents in the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, editor of news website Prachatai, with a new court date set for 30 May. Premchaiporn faces up to 20 years in jail for comments posted on the site by users. She is being tried under Thailand’s computer-crime laws, which address hacking and other online offences, but also prohibit the circulation of material deemed detrimental to national security, including defaming the monarchy.

Thailand: Student faces prison for speaking out

March 5th, 2012

A 20 year old student faces 15 years in prison for “having opinions” after she posted a message on Facebook in Thailand. Police began investigating Kanthoop under Thailand’s strict lèse majesté laws in 2010 after she posted criticisms of the Thai monarchy on her Facebook wall, and allegedly distorted versions of the post were forwarded to authorities by email. If charged, Kanthoop, a student at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, could be the youngest offender of lese-majeste. The student, who has been spat at, publicly denigrated and threatened by police said: “I am guilty only of freedom of thought.”

Thailand: Human rights defenders on trial for leading demonstration

February 21st, 2012

Ten prominent human rights defenders are standing trial in Thailand for leading a peaceful protest. Starting today, the activists will be put on trial for a demonstration against the attempt by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to pass undemocratic laws in December 2007. Protesters called for the military appointed NLA to stop passing controversial laws affecting human rights, civil liberties, social justice and privatisation. The ten were charged on 30 December 2010 after being summoned by police.