Thai man jailed for 35 years for ‘defaming’ royals on Facebook

BANGKOK: A Thai man was jailed for 35 years on Friday for Facebook posts deemed insulting to the royal family, a watchdog said, in one of the harshest sentences handed down for a crime that insulates Thailand’s ultra-rich monarchy from criticism, reports AFP.A Bangkok military court convicted the 34-year-old of 10 counts of lese majeste for posting pictures, videos and comments concerning the royal family on a Facebook account that purported to belong to a different user.Wichai, whose last name was withheld to protect his relatives from ostracisation, was accused of using the account to slander a former friend, said iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases.
“The court punished him with seven years per count. Altogether he was given 70 years, but it was reduced in half because he confessed,” said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw.

 

Thai man jailed for 35 years for defaming royals on Facebook

BANGKOK: A Thai man was jailed for 35 years on Friday for Facebook posts deemed insulting to the royal family, a watchdog said, in one of the harshest sentences handed down for a crime that insulates Thailands ultra-rich monarchy from criticism, reports AFP.A Bangkok military court convicted the 34-year-old of 10 counts of lese majeste for posting pictures, videos and comments concerning the royal family on a Facebook account that purported to belong to a different user.Wichai, whose last name was withheld to protect his relatives from ostracisation, was accused of using the account to slander a former friend, said iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases. The court punished him with seven years per count. Altogether he was given 70 years, but it was reduced in half because he confessed, said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw.