Thailand sentences writer for insults

[Coventina]

Source: International Herald-Tibune

BANGKOK: An Australian writer was sentenced to three years in prison Monday for insulting the Thai monarchy in a self-published novel.

Harry Nicolaides, 41, originally received a six-year sentence, which the court said it reduced because he had pleaded guilty. The book, "Verisimilitude," was published in 2005 and reportedly sold fewer than a dozen copies.

The case was brought under the country's strict lèse-majesté laws, which call for a jail term of up to 15 years for anyone who "defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir to the throne or the Regent."

(snip)

The boundaries of the law are unclear, and cases can be brought by any citizen, involving a variety of alleged offenses. Dozens of cases are now pending. In addition, the government has closed down more than 2,000 Web sites that it says include material insulting to the monarchy.

Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/19/news/thai.1-410745.php

---

The so-called "land of smiles" sure is showing a different expression lately it seems...

[depakid]

1. Melbourne writer jailed for insulting Thai royals

Source: The Age



FOR writing three ill-conceived sentences in a novel that sold fewer than 10 copies, Melbourne man Harry Nicolaides was yesterday sentenced to three years in a Thai prison. Barefoot, wearing leg shackles and looking drawn and weary, Nicolaides stood to hear his sentence. The would-be writer was arrested at Bangkok Airport on August 31 last year on charges of lese majeste — the crime of maligning the revered Thai monarchy.

A book he had written in 2006, Verisimilitude, contained a brief reference to an unnamed crown prince. The passage was deemed insulting and a complaint was made to the police. On his way home to Melbourne in late August, the 41-year-old apparently had no idea a warrant for his arrest had been issued months earlier.

Nicolaides was charged, repeatedly denied bail and finally brought to a Bangkok court yesterday for his long-awaited trial.

Hyperventilating and crying, Nicolaides said his time in prison had been "torture". "This has to be a bad dream," he said. "I've faced uncertainty for five months." Nicolaides said although he had lived and worked in Thailand, he was ignorant of the consequences of the lese majeste law.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/melbourne-writer-jailed-for-insulting-thai-royals-20090119-7kty.html

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. Was he extradited for this?

How did Bangkok get a hold of him?

[Coventina]

3. IIRC, he was living in Thailand at the time. n/t

[0rganism]

4. on the up-side, his book will probably sell at least another dozen copies

I hope he takes notes during the next few years -- a well-written set of prison memoirs stemming from this "lese-majeste" bullshit could be his ticket to fame. Of course, he should probably wait to publish them from Australia...

[rfranklin]

5. Jeez, I was almost in big trouble for something similar...

Whe I was living in Thailand I drew a beard and moustache on the king's picture on a stamp. I was a kid so they jsut scolded me. I didn't realize that jail was possible.