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Thai Magazine Editor Gets 11 Years In Jail For Defaming King

BANGKOK POST, THE NATION (Thailand), HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH (USA)

Worldcrunch

BANGKOK - A Thailand criminal court convicted Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, the editor of the now-defunct Voice of Taksin magazine to 11 years in jail on Wednesday.

Somyot, who is also a prominent Thai labor rights activist, was on trial for two counts of lese majeste for publishing two articles that contained what prosecutors called "negative references to the monarchy," reports Human Rights Watch.

He was sentenced to five years on each of the charges, and the court cancelled the suspension of a previous one-year sentence - for a total of 11 years in prison, according to the Bangkok Post.

Somyot had already been arrested multiple times for protesting against the government, but this particular conviction is due to the vague lese majeste law that prohibits any word or act defaming, insulting or threatening the Thai monarchy.

Article 112 of Thailand’s penal code, reports Human Rights Watch, states that “whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years.”

The Thai Constitutional Court ruled in October 2012 that the restrictions on freedom of expression and the criminal penalties for lese majeste offenses were constitutional, because breaches of lese majeste were considered threats to national security.

Human rights groups say this law is a way for the elite to silence opponents. International human rights organisations including Freedom House and Amnesty International have sent out global appeals on his case, reports the Bangkok Post.

The European Union has stated its concern on this decision that affects Thailand’s image as a democratic society.

During his trial, Somyot Prueksakasemsuk told the court that the two incriminating articles were written by Jakkrapob Penkair under a pen name of Jit Pollachan, reports The Nation.

Jakkrapob is a political dissident who founded the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, whose supporters are called the "red shirts." He escaped Thailand after an arrest warrant was issued against him on terrorism charges.

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LGBTQ Plus

Why Is Homophobia In Africa So Widespread?

Uganda's new law that calls for life imprisonment for gay sex is part of a wider crackdown against LGBTQ+ rights that is particularly harsh on the African continent.

Photo of LGBTQ Ugandan group

LGBTQ group in Uganda

Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

Uganda has just passed a law that allows for life imprisonment for same-sex sexual relations, punishing even the "promotion" of homosexuality. Under the authoritarian regime of Yoweri Museveni for the past 37 years, Uganda has certainly gone above and beyond existing anti-gay legislation inherited from British colonization.

But the country of 46 million is not alone, as a wider crackdown against LGBTQ+ rights continues to spread as part of a wider homophobic climate across Africa.

There is exactly one country on the continent, South Africa, legalized same-sex marriage in 2006, and another southern African state, Botswana, lifted the ban on homosexuality in 2019. But in total, more than half of the 54 African states have more or less repressive laws providing for prison sentences.

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