Eight charged with sedition over Facebook criticism

BANGKOK: Thai police charged eight people with sedition and computer crimes yesterday, part of fresh wave of arrests as Thailand cracks down on online dissent before a referendum on a militarybacked draft constitution.

The eight were detained by troops on Wednesday over Facebook comments criticizing the draft, which has been denounced by groups on both sides of Thailand’s political divide ahead of the Aug 7 referendum. Police said the eight had been charged over comments critical of the junta and the constitution. — AFP