Rights defenders call for lese majeste prisoner’s release

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has called for an unconditional release of lese majeste prisoner and red-shirt media editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, who is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling.

“Mr Somyot’s arbitrary deprivation of liberty is in blatant contravention of Thailand’s obligations under international law.

“It’s time to end Somyot’s unfair persecution and immediately return him to his family,” said FIDH President Dimitris Christopoulos.

Having spent 2,000 days behind bars, Mr Somyot, 55, is currently the longest-serving lèse-majesté detainee. He remains incarcerated in the Bangkok Remand Prison, where he is serving a 10-year sentence following his conviction on charges of lèse majesté under Criminal Code’s Section 112.

The section states “whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir to the throne or the Regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years”.

Mr Somyot is also serving an additional year in prison for an earlier sentence for defamation in another case.

“Mr Somyot has been detained for over five years only for exercising his legitimate right to freedom of expression. Thai authorities should free him immediately and stop using restrictive legislation, including Section 112, that is inconsistent with international human rights standards,” said OMCT Secretary-General Gerald Staberock.

The Observatory also deplored what it says were flaws and delays in the judicial proceedings against Mr Somyot.

Mr Somyot has been denied bail 16 times — the last of which was requested in November 2014 — and he has been waiting 700 days for the Supreme Court hearing.

Several UN human rights monitoring bodies have voiced concern over the deprivation of Mr Somyot’s liberty.

In an opinion piece issued on Aug 30, 2012, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention affirmed that Mr Somyot’s detention was arbitrary and called on the Thai authorities to release Mr Somyot and award him adequate compensation.

Last month, a female lese majeste prisoner, Daranee Charncherngsilapakul, was released after a royal pardon along with other convicts to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne.