Lese majeste and limiting speech and thought
With two new cases of lese majeste in a week, it is interesting to note a report from a few days ago at VOA News, said to be about “[r]ights activists in Thailand hav[ing] criticized laws designed to protect the monarchy and police the Internet after a stiff prison sentence was handed down to the operator of an anti-government website.” That refers to the sentencing of Tanthawut Taweewarodomkul, convicted and jailed for 13 years.
And which “activist” do they cite? None other than “Amnesty International Thailand specialist Benjamin Zawacki” who repeats his statement that the lese majeste “law places Thailand out of compliance with the international covenant on civil and political rights, which it has signed and ratified.”
PPT has said much about AI’s failures. However it is noteworthy that this “out of compliance” claim seems to be the mantra for AI now. The problem is, they seem unable to do anything and they appear to pick and choose which cases of lese majeste suit them.
Zawacki adds that: “The lese majeste law, in addition to being in and of itself problematic as a law, has also been abused and misused on both sides of the political divide for purposes of political point scoring…”. That’s true, but it is not the opposition that is arresting and locking people up. Zawacki appears to have lost the plot: it is the current government that has been the most vigorous for decades in the pursuit of lese majeste.
On the positive side, after several years of others saying it, Zawacki notes the “chilling” impact of the law that is meant to limit free speech, preventing people from speaking out.
Zawacki’s comments are followed by those of another AI stalwart, lawyer Somchai Homlaor, who claims that “he was targeted.” PPT has to admit no knowledge of this targeting. Readers may like to help us on this.
At least Somchai notices the pattern of recent years that Zawacki can’t see: “Many people now may [cause] offense [according to] the lese majeste law. But, [only] some cases that the authority pick up. Some cases, mainly the ones who are opposed to the government…“. He notes the rapidly rising number of cases.
PPT is not quite sure why AI is the only organization the the VOA goes to for comment when there are other organizations who speak out, have data and are actively working for reform. We wonder if AI and/or Zawacki will say anything about the two recent cases (here and here)? Do two cases in a week targeting red shirts carry any significance for AI?
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