By Duanwad Phimwana, translated by Preedee Hongsaton |
<p>He was born normal,<br />
neither physically nor emotionally disabled. <br />
He can love and be loved,<br />
He can hate and be hated,<br />
as an ordinary man.</p>
<p>Prachatai has been informed that in response to the Thai Ministry of Information and Communications Technology request to Facebook to remove 10,000 pages or URLs that are deemed by the Ministry to be offensive, an American citizen has formally written and delivered a request for investigation of the Thai request against the background of the Freedom of Information Act, the Speech Act of 2010, US constitutional safeguards and other laws relevant to free expression in a democratic society, to the US Department of Justice and foreign relations committees of both houses of Congress.</p>
By Amnesty International |
<p>A 20-year prison sentence for sending four text messages deemed offensive to the Queen of Thailand is a blow to freedom of expression, Amnesty International said today [23 Nov].</p>
<p>On 23 Nov, <a href="http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/297283.html">Grp Cpt Anudith Nakornthap</a>, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, said that the Ministry had asked Facebook headquarters to delete over 10,000 URLs or pages which contained pictures and messages offensive to the monarchy.</p>
By Asian Human Rights Commission |
<p>The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to express grave concern over the latest conviction and sentence of a person in Thailand for a crime of freedom of expression. On 23 November 2011, in Black Case No. 311/2554, Ampon Tangnoppakul (also known as 'Arkong'), a 61-year-old man, was sentenced to twenty years in prison for four alleged violations of Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code and the 2007 Computer Crimes Act. Ampon’s crime was to allegedly send four SMS messages to Somkiat Klongwattanasak, personal secretary of the former prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva.</p>
By Chutimas Suksai |
<p>At the Criminal Court on 23 Nov, a guilty verdict was passed on 61-year-old Ampon (last name withheld) who was sentenced to twenty years in prison for allegedly insulting and threatening the Queen of Thailand. The Court sentenced him to 5 years on each of 4 counts under the lèse majesté law. </p>
By Tyrell Haberkorn |
<p>On 23 November 2011, <a href="http://prachatai.com/journal/2011/11/37991">Ampon Tangnoppakul</a> was sentenced to 20 years, the longest known sentence to date under the Computer Crimes Act of 2007. His alleged crime? Allegedly sending four SMS messages with allegedly anti-monarchy content to the personal secretary of the former prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva. As Prachatai has reported, the sentence was delivered via videolink as flooding made it unfeasible for Ampon to be brought to the Criminal Court to hear the sentence.</p>
By Pipob Udomittipong |
<p>Bangkok, 23 November 2011: At the Criminal Court, a Chinese descendant Thai, Mr. Amphon, aka “Arkong”, 61 years, was convicted to 20 years of imprisonment. His crime: texting four messages to a phone belonging to Abhisit Vejjajiva’s personal secretary.</p>
<p>On 23 Nov, the Criminal Court found <a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/search/node/Amphon Tangnoppakul">Amphon Tangnoppakul</a> guilty for lèse majesté and computer crimes and sentenced him to 20 years in prison.</p>
<p>On 21 Nov, Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, editor of Voice of Taksin magazine and red-shirt leader, charged with lèse majesté, was brought to Sa Kaew Provincial Court for the first hearing of prosecution witnesses.</p>
<p>Bangkok Remand Prison reopened for visitors on 18 Nov, after it had been closed for two weeks due to flooding. The water at the prison was still above knee level, and wooden walkways had been built for visitors to reach buildings inside the compound from the road. Just a small number visited that day. Khlong Prem prison, situated in the same compound, had reopened for visitors three days earlier. </p>
By Andrew Spooner, The Asian Correspondent |
<p>A Red Shirt prisoner support group led by <a href="http://www.cleanclothes.org/media-inquiries/press-releases/lingerie-giant-triumph-sacks-workers-to-get-rid-of-unions">trade unionist</a> and political activist, <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/feature/humanrights/34630/sisters-in-arms">Jittra Kotchadet</a>, delivered a letter to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, in Bangkok today [16 Nov]. The group also staged <a href="http://www.prachatai3.info/journal/2011/11/37878">a small protest</a> of 200 people outside the Government House in Bangkok and called for the immediate release on bail of all lese majeste and political prisoners.</p>