THAILAND-LESE-MAJESTE/UN U.N. urges Thailand to amend tough law on insulting royalty

Record ID: 144372

  • Title: THAILAND-LESE-MAJESTE/UN U.N. urges Thailand to amend tough law on insulting royalty
  • Date: 11th August 2015
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 11, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) BUILDING JOURNALISTS GATHERED FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, RAVINA SHAMDASANI, SAYING: "We are appalled by the shockingly disproportionate prison terms handed down over the past few months in lese-majeste cases
  • Embargoed: 26th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6NBB7K7ETI9561RZM6XTO6NYG
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The United Nations on Tuesday (August 11) denounced "shockingly" long prison terms imposed by Thailand for insulting the monarchy and urged authorities to amend the law and release those convicted.
    Thai military courts on Friday jailed two people for insulting the monarchy, one for 30 years and the other for 28, the heaviest sentences for the crime in Thai history, lawyers and a legal monitoring group said.
    "We are appalled by the shockingly disproportionate prison terms handed down over the past few months in lese-majeste cases in Thailand. On August 7, the Bangkok Military Court sentenced a travel agent to 30 years in prison for violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, which is also known as the lese-majeste law. He was convicted for posting six comments that were critical of members of the royal family on Facebook," U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.
    Pongsak Sriboonpeng was initially given a sentence of 60 years for six Facebook posts between 2013 and 2014 but this was reduced due to his guilty plea. Sasivimol Patomwongfa-ngarm saw her 56-year term halved for pleading guilty to seven Facebook posts insulting the royals, the U.N. said.
    Military courts were criticised for failing to meet international human rights standards, with observers barred and the option to appeal curtailed.
    "We call for the immediate release of all those who have been jailed or held in prolonged pre-trial detention for the exercise of their rights to freedom of expression. We also urge the military government to amend the vague and broad lese-majeste law to bring it in line with international human rights standards. Until the law is amended, it should not be used arbitrarily to curb debate on critical issues of public interest, even when it involves criticism of heads of state or government," Shamdasani said.
    The punishments come at a time of heightened anxiety over the health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch.
    There has been a sharp rise in prosecutions for alleged royal insults, with more than 40 cases recorded since the military took power in a coup in May 2014, Shamdasani said.
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