About 50 people, including journalists, activists and academics, gathered in front of the Bangkok Remand Prison on Wednesday morning to commemorate the third anniversary of the imprisonment of Somyos Pruksakasemsuk for lèse majesté on April 30.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a Thammasat University historian and a staunch opponent of the lèse majesté law, also attended the event to show moral support for Somyos.
The event started with the lighting of black candles to symbolize the injustice against lèse majesté prisoners.
About 50 people, including journalists, activists and academics, gathered in front of the Bangkok Remand Prison on Wednesday morning to commemorate the third anniversary of the imprisonment of Somyos Pruksakasemsuk for lèse majesté on April 30.
Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a Thammasat University historian and a staunch opponent of the lèse majesté law, also attended the event to show moral support for Somyos.
The event started with the lighting of black candles to symbolize the injustice against lèse majesté prisoners.
Later the group visited Somyos in the prison.
Somyos was the editor of Voice of Taksin magazine. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail for allowing two articles, deemed lèse majesté, to be published in the magazine. The case is now before the Appeal Court. Both articles were written under the penname “Jit Polchan”
At around 11 am, the participants visited Somyos and other lèse majesté prisoners in the prison. Somyos told Prachatai that Article 112 should be abolished and the current use of the law is not good for the monarchy.
“If the Thai people want to be ruled under a monarchical constitution, Thai citizens should have the right to criticize the monarchy. Criticism is also a way to honour the institution.”
Somyos also voiced concerns over the Rubbish Collection Organization which has vowed to “deal with” people who defame the monarchy, saying that it reflects that society is now so fragile that some groups of people are too anxious to see people voicing different opinions toward the King. “They are dinosaurs,” said Somyos. “This kind of organization should not exist. We live in a democratic society. People should respect freedom of expression, instead of bullying."
“That I’m now in prison is not to fight against anything, but to assert that I’m innocent.
“I’m surely want to get out of here, but to get out with justice or as an innocent man, not because of someone’s mercy,” said the lèse majesté prisoner.
On this occasion, various academics and human rights organizations, including the International Federation of Human Rights and Amnesty International, issued statements urging Thailand to release Somyos and amend Article 112.
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