"US Man Jailed For Insulting Thai Monarchy"
The Bangkok Criminal Court jailed US citizen Joe Gordon for two-and-a-half years for insulting the monarchy, drawing a quick protest from the United States, which said he was exercising his right to free speech.
The case of Thai-born Joe Wichai Commart Gordon - who appeared in court under his birth name of Lerpong Wichaikhammat, in shackles - is the latest in a series of lese majeste convictions which rights campaigners say are used to stifle freedom of expression.
Gordon: Translated a book about the King
The Criminal Court sentenced Gordon to five years in prison, but halved the term as the car salesman from Colorado pleaded guilty to translating into Thai and publishing online a banned biography of His Majesty the King.
"Joe decided not to appeal this case but will ask for a royal pardon," his lawyer Arnon Nampa told reporters in Bangkok.
"In this case the court gave the lightest jail term for a lese majeste case. He's been in prison six months already. The worst case is two more years in jail but I hope that he'll receive a royal pardon." He said there will be no appeal, and the request for a pardon will be submitted next month.
Gordon, 55, was born in Nakhon Ratchasima, and was arrested last May when he arrive on a visit. The charges accused him of posting material deemed offensive, while living in the United States.
Under Article 112 of the Criminal Code, anyone convicted of insulting the monarchy faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison on each count.
Gordon was allowed to talk to the media after his sentence while awaiting processing.
"I'm not Thai, I'm American," he said. "I was just born in Thailand. I hold an American passport. In Thailand there are many laws that don't allow you to express opinions but we don't have that in America.
"I'm proud to be American."
A senior US official questioned the sentence.
"We consider the sentence severe because he was given the sentence for his right of expression," US Consul General Elizabeth Pratt told reporters.
"We continue to respect the Thai monarchy but we also support the right of expression, which is internationally recognised as a human right."
The US State Department on Tuesday emphasised that it counts Thailand as one of its oldest allies, but voiced alarm over a series of court cases over speech and writing deemed offensive to the monarchy.
In a conviction widely discussed in the country, 61-year-old Ampon Tangnoppakul was jailed last month for 20 years on four counts of sending text messages to the private secretary of then prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in May 2010.
The European Union said it was "deeply concerned" about that sentence.
A group of activists opposed to the legislation plan a "fearlessness walk" in Bangkok on Saturday in support of Ampon and other political prisoners.
Despite the protests, the government announced on Wednesday it had set up a committee to clamp down on websites considered insulting to the monarchy.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung said he would chair the first meeting of the group, which will include representatives from the police, the interior ministry and other related agencies.
SOURCE:
> Bangkok Post
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