A prominent
Thai human rights lawyer faces a prison term of up to 150 years if convicted on
10 counts of royal defamation under Thailand's harsh royal insult law, the
legal watchdog Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said on Thursday.
Prawet
Prapanukul, 57, provided legal assistance to members of a political opposition
group, the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, and served as legal
counsel in a high-profile royal insult case.
He was
detained in a raid on his home by police and troops on the weekend.
Prawet
appeared in a Bangkok court on Wednesday and was charged with 10 counts of
royal insult and three counts of breaking Section 116 of Thailand's criminal
code, the equivalent of sedition.
"Prawet
faces 10 counts of breaking Article 112, so that works out to up to 150 years
in prison if he is found guilty," Anon Nampha of Thai Lawyers for Human
Rights told Reuters.
"He
also faces three separate charges of breaking Article 116 which carries a
maximum sentence of seven years in prison for each offence."
It was not
immediately clear what Prawet had written or said that led to his arrest and
charges.
A spokesman
for the military government said he was unable to comment on the case.
Thailand's
military seized power from an elected civilian government in a May 2014 coup.
Since then,
the junta has detained hundreds of politicians, activists, journalists and
others accused of being involved in anti-junta protests and activities.
Some have
been held incommunicado in unofficial places of detention, such as military
camps.
It has also
taken a hardline stance against suspected transgressors of Article 112 of the
criminal code which makes anyone found guilty of insulting the monarchy liable
to imprisonment for up to 15 years.
The lawyers'
group said Prawet was charged along with five others, who also faced charges
under the royal insult law.
Prawet is in
pre-trial detention at a Bangkok remand prison after being held incommunicado
at the 11th Army Circle base in Bangkok, a facility the military uses as a
temporary prison.
The group
Human Rights Watch urged the military to observe due process.
"Even
though lese majeste is a serious criminal offense in Thailand, authorities have
no justification to breach due process and fair trial standards," Sunai
Phasuk, Thailand researcher at Human Rights Watch, told Reuters.
"The
military regime has aggressively used lese majeste charges to clamp down on any
speech and opinion they find objectionable."
Lese majeste
laws have an impact on what any news organization, including Reuters, can
report about issues relating to Thailand's monarchy.
King Maha
Vajiralongkorn, 64, ascended the throne in December following the death of his
father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October.
Thailand is
observing a year of mourning for King Bhumibol who was seen as semi-divine by
many people. His cremation will be held in October.
Political
activity has largely ceased to mark the period of mourning. An election to
restore democracy will be held next year, the government has said, though a
date has not been set.
Reuters*
0 Comments