Amnesty International Supports Scrutiny of Thailand’s Lese Majeste Laws

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BANGKOK, Thailand – Numerous human rights groups and have been questioning and complaining against the trend of stringency in the Thai government’s superfluous enforcement of its lese majeste laws.  Lese majeste laws are those which punish citizens of a nation-state for speaking ill or somehow violating the dignity of the reigning sovereign of that particulate state. The recent excessiveness of indicting Thai nationals for speaking ill of King Bhumibol has been noted to exceed the limits prescribed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.  In unreasonably enforcing its lese majeste, the Thai government has executed extensive monitoring practices which impinge upon the privacy of Thailand’s residence.  Being a party to the ICCR, Thailand violates the limits on punishing speech established by a collection of other nation-states.  Furthermore, the increase in indictments under the lese majeste creates conflicts with Thailand’s own constitution.Section 8 of Thailand’s constitution essentially affords the king inviolable status and grants him the greatest degree of reverence.  Any expressions, such as accusatory remarks or slander against King Bhumibol, can be punished by imprisonment for up to 15 months.  However, even more troublesome is the fact that nowhere in the legal codes of Thailand is there a definition or explanation of what sorts of statements constitute violations of the king.

Numerous individuals, from activists to news reporters, have been imprisoned.  The latest statistics from 2008 reveal that there are over 77 open cases of lese majeste cases.  The two latest alleged violators of Thailand’s greatly imposed  lese majeste law have  the possibility of serving between 10 and 16 years in prison.  A recent appeal in November 2009 reduced one man’s initial 12-year sentence to 2 years.

Much like the two new cases, many lese majeste violators are projected to come under arrest due to Thailand’s Compuer-Related Crimes Act.  Because of the lack of limitations delineated in Thailand’s bodies of law, there do not seem to be any legal restrictions concerning the extent to which Thailand law enforcement can censor and punish internet users who may speak badly of King Bhumibol.

Amnesty International has recently demonstrated its support for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s movement to establish a panel to carefully scrutinize the enforcement of lese majeste laws.

Author: Impunity Watch Archive