It may take years in prison in Thailand after accusing him of insulting ownership in a rare operation against a foreigner under one of the most Lesa-Maesty laws in the world.
Paul Chambers, a professor at the University of Nariswan in central Thailand, who writes analyzes of the army and the kingdom’s policy, was officially accused when he informed the police on Tuesday (8) and appeared before the court.
Thailand has some of the most LESA-MAJECY laws in the world, criticizing the king, queen, or apparent heir can lead to a maximum of 15 years in prison for every violation. Anyone can register a complaint of Lima-Magstadi and the rulings on convicts, can reach contracts, with the trial of hundreds of people in recent years.
The lawyer of the Chamber and Jenromaget said that an arrest warrant was issued last week after a complaint was registered by the regional army leadership. In addition to Lesa-majesty, Chambers also face charges under the Computer Crime Law.
“He was accused of publishing a summary at the Asian Study Institute for Study in Singapore regarding an online symposium of the institute in October 2024 on the reshaping of the military,” said Akarshai Sharesycaque, Thai lawyers for human rights and part of the Chamber’s legal team.
“He denied all the accusations. He did not write or publish the summary on the site,” said Akarachi.
He speaks before the court on Tuesday (8), he told Chambers CNN This was slightly told about the reason for the accusation and it is feared that “it can be arrested for 15 years.”
CHAMBERS is kept in the reservation after the sponsorship was rejected. His lawyer applied for another bail in an attempt to prevent him from detention.
CHAMBERS is an academic, author and speaker at the Center for Community Studies at the University of Nariswan and often contributes to news articles on Southeast AsiaIt includes CNN.
Defenders say the accusations are a “serious threat to academic freedom in the country.”
“In contrast to other cases of lesa-majestade, this issue includes a very firm academic, his work is deeply concentrated on civilian military relations in Thailand, whose experience has been widely recognized in academic society,” said Akarshay.
S. US State Department He said on Monday that he was “interested” in the reports of the room prison and providing consular assistance.
“The United States strongly supports freedom of expression around the world. We regularly ask Thai authorities, in particular, to protect freedom of expression in accordance with international obligations in Thailand,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman told the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. CNN.
The conservative and supported group by Thailand military rules the country for decades, critics say it routinely uses laws such as Lima Maigstad, sedition and the law of electronic crime to silence cash and opposition.
The army has always been in addition to the country’s policy, although Thai voted again and again to support the opponents of the political and progressive army. They have made 13 successful strikes since the absolute monarchy in 1932, the latest in 2014, which opened less than a decade from the military government or with the support of the army.
Long Long Punishment: 50 years old
Last year, the Thai Court of Appeal extended The prison sentence is a 50 -year prison man to insult the propertyIn what is believed to be the most severe penalty imposed by Lima Ogte’s law.
Sonai Vasuk, the first researcher in freedom of expression and academic freedom in Thailand, said that the charges against the room are “an increasing suffocation of freedom of expression and academic freedom in Thailand.” Human Rights Watch In Thailand.
“Paul is an important target by super groups, which launched many attacks against him for years of wrong information on the Internet and hatred campaigns to pressure the authorities to cancel his visa and expel him from the university.” CNN.
It is rare for the foreign citizen to be the target of His Majesty. In 2011, American Joe W. Gordon was sentenced to two and a half years in prison to insult the ownership after publishing a link to the biography of the senior King Bumipol, who participated in the translation, which was banned in Thailand. He was released later after receiving a real remission.
For years, human rights organizations and freedom of expression said that the law was used as a political tool to silence the critics of the Thai government.
Human rights groups say that the right to freedom of expression in Thailand has suffered from increasing attacks since 2020, when the protests led by young people across the country have taken millions of young people to the streets that require constitutional and democratic reforms – for the first time, publicly criticizes ownership and publicly questioning its strength and wealth.
These protests took place four years after King Maha Fagiralongkorn, his father, King Bumipol, who ruled for seven decades.
Although the army -supported government changed to a civilian leadership in 2023, monitoring and intimidation against activists and students continue, according to Thai lawyers for human rights.
The legal defense group said that since the beginning of the protests in July 2020 and at the end of January 2025, at least 1960 people have been tried for their participation in political societies and to show themselves at least, with at least 277 years.
One of the most prominent of which is Arnon Namba, Thai activist who carries a 18-year-old cumulative penalty for a series of lesa-jajesty and other charges related to defending ownership reform during the 2020 protests.
A long -awaited bill will be presented that would provide a pardon for a therapist in political impulses issues to the Parliament of Thailand on Wednesday (9). However, there is a continuous debate about whether His Majesty will be included in the bill.
Some analysts say that the nature of the major repercussions in the case of the room can have an impact of the army and have wider effects on Thai society.
“The cost of the Thai army is high because it will attract this kind of international attention and scrutiny that the army wants to avoid,” said Titenan Bonjsirkrak, the political scientist at the University of Chullongcorn.
“This issue tightens the siege of academic freedom and will enhance the closure of Thai minds and will undermine the intellectual ecosystem and research needed to enhance ideas and innovation to enhance the Thai economy.”
