<div>In January 2013, the Criminal Court convicted and sentenced a magazine editor to ten years in prison in Thailand. His crime was violation of the lèse majesté law by publishing and disseminating two articles. The court proved the guilt of the editor by asking witnesses to read the articles in question and interpret them for the court. Upon listening to the interpretation of these witnesses, the court concluded that the editor must have reached the same interpretation. Therefore, this indicated that the editor intended to defame the king by printing and disseminating the two articles. </div>

<p dir="ltr">Amnesty International urged the Thai junta to remove censorships over media and stop the prosecutions of people of the press in the name of national security.</p> <p>On Sunday, <a href="http://www.amnesty.or.th">Amnesty International </a>issued a public statement to the Thai junta on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, which is on 3 May of every year.</p> <p>The statement pointed out that since the imposition of the martial law on 20 May 2014 and the subsequent coup d’état, the junta maintains tight control over media, claiming that it is necessary for national security.</p>

<p><img alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8804/17373174022_2a911edcbc.jpg" /></p> <p>Photo from <a href="http://www.humanrights.asia/">Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)&nbsp;</a></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>30 April will be the fourth anniversary of the deprivation of freedom of the red-shirt political magazine editor, sentenced to 10 years in jail for articles he did not write. His wife has been very supportive and became active campaigner against Article 112</span></p> <p></p>

<p dir="ltr"><span>30 April will be the fourth anniversary of the deprivation of freedom of the red-shirt political magazine editor, sentenced to 10 years in jail for articles he did not write. His wife has been very supportive and became active campaigner against Article 112</span></p> <p></p>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div>Sombat Boonngamanong, a prominent red-shirt figure, on Friday morning said he wants to be part of the reconciliation process, asking his followers to be more subtle when showing their opposition to the junta.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>About a hundred people visited the red-shirt leader at the Bangkok Remand Prison at 11 am on Friday. </div></div>

<p>The expressions of outrage at the sentencing of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk to 10 years for lèse majesté offences have, rather embarrassingly, been overwhelmingly from foreign organizations.&nbsp; Not only has the National Human Rights Commission, alongside the government, been the recipient of these protests, rather than the author of one or two, but the Thai Journalists Association has also so far maintained a studied silence.</p> <p></p>

<p>On 2 Nov, the Criminal Court dismissed a bail request for l&egrave;se majest&eacute; suspect Surachai Danwatthananusorn, citing that his alleged crimes carry severe punishment and affect the feelings of the public.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reporters Without Borders condemns yesterday&rsquo;s [1 Nov] refusal by a Bangkok court to free <b>Somyos Prueksakasemsuk</b> on bail although he has been held for six months on a l&egrave;se-majest&eacute; charge in connection with his former position as editor of <i>Voice of Thaksin</i>, a magazine closed in 2010.</p>

<p>Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul&rsquo;s brother <a href="http://www.prachatai.com/english/search/node/Kittichai Charnchoengsilpakul">Kittichai</a> has been arrested and detained at Bangkok Remand Prison since 29 Aug on charges made 12 years ago.</p>

<p>Reporters Without Borders condemns the continuing detention of the journalist Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, who was held for more than the 84 days allowed under the criminal code before being formally charged on 26 July on two l&egrave;se-majest&eacute; counts. No date has been set for his trial, at which he could get a combined sentence of up to 30 years in prison.</p>

<p>The Criminal Court decided yesterday to take up two lese majeste cases against Red Power magazine editor Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, who insists he is innocent.</p>