http://www.englishpen.org/writersinprison/bulletins/thailandprofessorchargedwithlse-majest/
Thailand: Professor charged with 'lèse-majesté'
Published: January 27, 2009
***UPDATE: Professor Giles Ji Ungpakorn arrived in the UK this weekend (7-8 February 2009) having fled from Thailand. He had been charged with insulting the monarchy on 20 January, for which he could have faced up to 15 years in prison. For more information, please see Duncan Campbell's article 'British professor flees Thailand after charge of insulting king.' ***
English PEN is seriously concerned about Professor Giles Ji Ungpakorn who was charged with 'lèse-majesté' (insulting the monarchy) on 20 January 2009.
According to our information, Giles Ji Ungpakorn, an associate professor at Chulalongkom University in Bangkok and a contributor to Asia Sentinel and the New Statesmvan, was formally charged under the lèse-majesté laws with insulting the king on 20 January 2009. He has 20 days to respond to the charges, before the Thai authorities decide whether or not his case will be given to the Thai courts for prosecution, and could face between three and fifteen years in prison if found guilty. It is widely believed that the charges against Ungpakorn relate to his book A Coup for the Rich, in which he criticised the 2006 military coup. (To read the book, please click here.) We consider the charges against Ungpakorn to be in breach of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression and to which Thailand is a state Party, and are therefore calling for them to be dropped.
Furthermore, we remain deeply concerned by the increased use of 'lèse-majesté' laws in Thailand. Giles Ungpakorn is the second New Statesman contributor to have faced such charges in recent months; the first was Australian writer Harry Nicolaides, who was sentenced to 3 years in prison on 19 January 2009 for insulting the monarchy in his novel Verisimilitude. His lawyers are preparing to make an application for a Royal pardon. For more information on this go to http://www.pen.org.au/
English PEN shares the widespread concerns about "the growing number of people being investigated and charged under Thailand's draconian 'lèse-majesté' law, as the police and army try to suppress what they fear is a rising tide of anti-monarchy sentiment."* We are therefore continuing to urge the Thai authorities to decriminalise 'lèse-majesté' legislation, which not only stifles legitimate discussion of the monarchy, but also can be seen to violate the right to freedom of expression.
NB. On 18 January, Giles Ji Ungpakorn launched a petition protesting the use of 'lèse-majesté' in Thailand. To sign the petition, please click here.
(* http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7836854.stm )
Background information:
Sholto Byrnes' article, 'Taking Royal Liberties'.
Previous PEN alerts on Harry Nicolaides:/writersinprison/bulletins/thailandaustralianwritersentencedtothreeyears/ /writersinprison/bulletins/thailandaustralianwriterdetained/
Please send appeals:
- Expressing serious concern about the charges of 'lèse-majesté against Giles Ji Ungpakorn and calling for them to be dropped;- Requesting that the Thai government decriminalises 'lèse-majesté' legislation, which appears to stifle legitimate discussion of the monarchy and violate the right to freedom of expression.
Appeals to:
Prime Minister
Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva
The Secretariat of the Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister
Government House
Pitsanulok Road
Dusit, Bangkok 10300
Thailand
Fax: 66 2 280 0858
Salutation: Dear Prime Minister
Minister of Justice
Mr. Pirapan Salirathavibhaga
Office of the Minister
Ministry of Justice
Chaeng Wattana Road
Pak Kred, Nonthaburi 11120
Thailand
Fax: 66 2 502 6734
Salutation: Dear Minister
Minister of Interior
Mr. Chavarat Charnvirakul
Ministry of Interior
Office of the Secretary to the Minister
Ministry of Interior
Assadang Road
Pra Nakorn, Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Fax: 66 2 226 4371
Salutation: Dear Minister
If possible please send a copy of your appeal to the diplomatic representative for Thailand in the United Kingdom:
His Excellency Mr Kitti Wasinindh
Royal Thai Embassy
29 - 30 Queen s Gate
London, SW7 5JB
Fax: 020 7823 9695
Stop the use of “lese majeste” in Thailand. Defend freedom of speech
Published: February 5, 2009
We, the undersigned, oppose the use of lese majeste in Thailand in order to prevent freedom of speech and academic freedom. We demand that the government cease all proceedings in lese majeste cases.
The military coup in Thaila19th September 2006 nd claimed "Royal legitimacy" in order to hide the authoritarian intentions of the military junta. Lese Majeste charges have not been used to protect "Thai Democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy" as claimed. The charges are used against people who criticise the coup and disagree with the present destruction of democracy. They are used to create a climate of fear and censorship.
One obvious case is that of Associate Professor Giles Ji Ungpakorn, from the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. He is facing Lese Majeste charges for writing a book "A Coup for the Rich", which criticised the 2006 military coup. (Read the book at http://wdpress.blog.co.uk/). Others who have been accused of Lese Majeste are former government minister Jakrapop Penkae, who asked a question at the Foreign Correspondent's Club in Bangkok, about exactly what kind of Monarchy we have in Thailand. There is also the case of Chotisak Oonsung, a young student who failed to stand for the King's anthem in the cinema. Apart from this there are the cases of Da Topedo and Boonyeun Prasertying. In addition to those who opposed the coup, the BBC correspondent Jonathan Head, Australian writer Harry Nicolaides, and social critic Sulak Sivaraksa are also facing charges. The latest person to be thrown into jail and refused bail is Suwicha Takor, who is charged with Lese Majeste for surfing the internet. The Thai Minister of Justice has called for a blanket ban on reporting these cases in the Thai media. The main stream Thai media are obliging. Thus we are seeing a medieval style witch hunt taking place in Thailand with "secret" trials in the courts. The Justice Ministry is also refusing to publish figures of lese majeste cases.
We call for the abolition of les majeste laws in Thailand and the defence of freedom and democracy.
To sign, please send your full name to cat@englishpen.org and it will be forwarded to Giles Ji Ungpakorn and his campaign. Thank you.
For more information on Ungpakorn's case, please click here.
We, the undersigned, oppose the use of lese majeste in Thailand in order to prevent freedom of speech and academic freedom. We demand that the government cease all proceedings in lese majeste cases.
The military coup in Thaila19th September 2006 nd claimed "Royal legitimacy" in order to hide the authoritarian intentions of the military junta. Lese Majeste charges have not been used to protect "Thai Democracy under a Constitutional Monarchy" as claimed. The charges are used against people who criticise the coup and disagree with the present destruction of democracy. They are used to create a climate of fear and censorship.
One obvious case is that of Associate Professor Giles Ji Ungpakorn, from the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. He is facing Lese Majeste charges for writing a book "A Coup for the Rich", which criticised the 2006 military coup. (Read the book at http://wdpress.blog.co.uk/). Others who have been accused of Lese Majeste are former government minister Jakrapop Penkae, who asked a question at the Foreign Correspondent's Club in Bangkok, about exactly what kind of Monarchy we have in Thailand. There is also the case of Chotisak Oonsung, a young student who failed to stand for the King's anthem in the cinema. Apart from this there are the cases of Da Topedo and Boonyeun Prasertying. In addition to those who opposed the coup, the BBC correspondent Jonathan Head, Australian writer Harry Nicolaides, and social critic Sulak Sivaraksa are also facing charges. The latest person to be thrown into jail and refused bail is Suwicha Takor, who is charged with Lese Majeste for surfing the internet. The Thai Minister of Justice has called for a blanket ban on reporting these cases in the Thai media. The main stream Thai media are obliging. Thus we are seeing a medieval style witch hunt taking place in Thailand with "secret" trials in the courts. The Justice Ministry is also refusing to publish figures of lese majeste cases.
We call for the abolition of les majeste laws in Thailand and the defence of freedom and democracy.
To sign, please send your full name to cat@englishpen.org and it will be forwarded to Giles Ji Ungpakorn and his campaign. Thank you.
For more information on Ungpakorn's case, please click here.
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