Thailand

The glaring injustices of the cases are being made even worse by the denial of bail for apparently political reasons and long periods of pre-trial detention, says Human Rights Watch.

At the end of the 16 February hearing, the court announced that it would issue its verdict in the trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, editor of the Prachatai news website, on 30 April.

A suspect, Noppadon “Pae” Praisri, has given himself up to the police after learning that they were on his trail. He has implicated two others in the killing of journalist Wisut Tangwittayaporn.

Police are investigating the motive for the killing of Wisut Tangwitthayaporn but have not ruled out the journalist’s reporting on corruption in the management of the province’s land encroachment problem as a major cause.

Daranee “Da Torpedo” Charnchoensilpakul had previously been convicted and sentenced to 18 years during a closed-door trial, which the court later ruled was unconstitutional.

Joe Gordon’s alleged crime was translating sections of a banned biography of the Thai monarch and posting them online while living in the United States.

The Thai deputy prime minister announced that eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence points to security forces’ involvement in the April 2010 fatal shooting of Hiroyuki Muramoto in Bangkok.

The government announced on 24 November that Facebook users could be charged under lese majeste laws for commenting on, sharing, or clicking ‘like’ on content deemed insulting to the royal family; individuals found guilty can be sentenced to up to 15 years imprisonment for each offence.

Ampon Tangnoppakul had been denied bail, resulting in a detainment of over eight months during which his health deteriorated.

Local news reports said the state-run Flood Relief Operations Command had issued a new requirement that Thaiflood submit its reports to the government for approval before publication.

During a recent Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session in Geneva, the Thai delegation stated that it was keen to prevent further abuse of the law and and had set up a committee to advise the government on the use of lèse-majesté.

In an example of the ostracism of the media, a hard-hitting political and current affairs program host was forced to resign following criticisms that he favoured a political party leader in an interview broadcast prior to the elections.

During the UPR, widespread concerns were expressed about a sharp increase in lèse-majesté and computer crime charges.

Phamon Phonphanit, a reporter with the local “Sue Samut Atyakam” newspaper, died from severe burns he suffered while covering a series of bomb blasts in Sungai Kolok town.

The Department of Special Investigation chief told Agence France Presse that the army was responsible for the fatal shooting of Japanese cameraman Hiroyuki Muramoto.

One of the latest cases is that of Surapak Phuchaisaeng who was arrested on lèse-majesté charges in connection with photos, videos and messages he posted on Facebook.