<p>On 18 May, a bail request by Somyot Prueksakasemsuk was denied yet again and the Constitutional Court dismissed his petition to seek its ruling on the constitutionality of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lèse majesté law.</p>
<p>On 16 May, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs met to hear the case of Amphon Tangnoppakul, the lèse majesté convict who died from liver cancer during detention, and invited officials from several agencies including the Corrections Department, the Court of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission, as well as Amphon’s lawyers and family members.</p>
<p>National Human Rights Commissioner Niran Phithakwatchara and members of an NHRC subcommittee have been accused of lèse majesté by the head of Kaeng Krachan National Park after they intervened in a project, which the park claims was implemented in honour of the King.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.ccaa112.org/web/">Campaign Committee to Amend Article 112</a> (CCAA) has already collected over 10,000 signatures to propose the <a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/2997">Nitirat bill</a> to Parliament to amend the lèse majesté law.</p>
<p>The utterly sad thing about being human is to mistake wrong for right, seeing evil deeds as maintaining justice because one is so misguided as to see oneself as superior to others</p>
<p><a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/search/node/Amphon%20tangnoppakul">Amphon Tangnoppakul</a> sent a letter to his lawyer Anon Nampha from Bangkok Remand Prison on 11 April. The letter was published on the lawyer’s <a href="http://rli.in.th/2012/05/01/%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%87-%E0%B8%9C%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2/">Rassadornprasong Law Office</a> website on 1 May.</p>
By Suluck Lamubol |
<p>62-year-old Amphon Tangnoppakul or "Uncle SMS" who was sentenced to 20 years on lese majesté offence last November passed away this morning. He was suffering from stomach pain and sent to prison's infirmary unit last Friday, according to his lawyer, Ms. Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen. Bail request has been applied eight times and all denied. “If Amphon’s right to temporary release was upheld, he could've gone to see the doctor and such a tragedy might not have happened” said Poonsuk.</p>
By Pipob Udomittipong |
<p>Amphon Tangnoppakul, 62 years, died while being imprisoned in Thailand today. </p>
<p>On 3 May, National Human Rights Commissioner Dr Niran Phithakwatchara testified as the last defence witness in the lèse majesté trial of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk. The Criminal Court set 19 Sept for the prosecution and defence to hear its decision on when the verdict would be delivered, as the defence team had sought a ruling from the Constitution Court on the constitutionality of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lèse majesté law.</p>
<p>A defamation lawsuit between Thai Rath newspaper and yellow-shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul has been settled after Sondhi, the defendant, admitted that he had defamed the newspaper by presenting incorrect information in his ASTV-Manager talk show programme, as well as through his newspaper and website, and agreed to publish his apology for three days.</p>
<p>On 2 May, two Thammasat lecturers testified as defence witnesses in the lèse majesté trial of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, former editor of Voice of Taksin magazine.</p>
<p>On 1 May, Somyot Prueksakasemsuk testified to the court that ‘Jitr Pollachan’ was the penname of Jakrapop Penkair who wrote two articles which brought lèse majesté charges down on him.</p>