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Sympathizers celebrate the anniversary of the Thai King, in Bangkok on July 28, 2024.
A Thai court has issued an arrest warrant against an American academic under the law of the lese-majeste in Thailand which prohibits the insult of the monarchy.
The army filed a complaint against Paul Chambers, professor at Naresuan University in the center of Thailand, under the laws of computer crime and computer crime, according to its legal representation.
Mr. Chambers and his lawyer are expected to go to the police on Tuesday, where charges are expected to be filed.
Akarachai Chaimanekarakate, a loss of advocacy for Thai lawyers for the Human Rights Center representing Mr. Chambers, told the BBC that he did not know the reason for the complaint.
If he is found guilty, Mr. Chambers could incur three to 15 years in prison for each count of Lese-Majeste.
The BBC contacted Royal Thai’s police to comment.
It is rarer that Lese-Majeste’s law is used against foreigners, but that has already happened, said Akarachai.
The army filed the complaint against Mr. Chambers for “defamation, contempt or maliciousness” towards the royal family “,” import false computer data “in a manner” likely to harm national security or to cause public panic “, and to disseminate computer data” which can affect national security on Friday “.
The court had already issued the arrest warrant on Monday, added Thai lawyers for human rights.
If accusations are deposited against Mr. Chambers next Tuesday, the police could release him on bond or hold him, in which case his lawyer would ask for a deposit.
The police will then investigate and if they believe that he has committed the offense, will transmit a case to the prosecutors, who will decide to indicate it.
According to his LinkedIn page, Mr. Chambers lived and worked in Thailand 30 years ago, and has spent years since research and research in the country, in particular by writing books on his soldiers.
He has not received any assignment before, said his legal representation.
The law of Lese-Majeste in Thailand has been in place since the creation of the country’s first penal code in 1908, although the penalty was hardened in 1976.
The government claims that the law is necessary to protect the monarchy. Critics say that the law is used to suppress freedom of expression.
Akarachai said the BBC Lese-Majeste had been used more since the pro-democracy demonstrations led by students, who also targeted the monarchy, swept the country in 2020.
After months of demonstrations, Thailand has revived the law of Lese-Majeste for the first time in more than two years.
Since the end of 2020, Thai lawyers for the Human Rights Center have experienced more than 300 cases of lese-majeste involving more than 270 people, including 20 children under the age of 18, said Akarachai.
“When people descend into the street to demand monarchy reforms, they risk the risk of political prosecution. Now, when academics write or discuss these questions in academic environment, it seems that they also risk the same risk of political prosecution,” he said.
Last year, a reformist political party was dissolved by order of the court after the court ruled that the party’s campaign promise to change lese-majeste was unconstitutional.
The European Parliament called on Thailand last month to reform the law, which, according to her, was “among the strictest in the world”, and grants amnesty to people pursued and imprisoned under this.
On Wednesday, the Thai Parliament should discuss the issue of AMNISTIE bills, said Akarachai.
