Protest staged over law on lese-majeste

About 100 opponents of the lese-majeste law donned black clothes and held a vigil in front of the Criminal Court yesterday to demand the abolition of the law and freedom for prisoners of conscience, including 61-year-old Amphon Tangnoppakul, better known as Akong, the subject of a recent high-profile prosecution.

Protesters wore paper masks of Akong and many held torches, symbolising the death of justice in cases of freedom of expression regarding the institution of the monarchy.

Kwanravee Wangudom, coordinator of a campaign to raise awareness about Article 112 of the penal code, which concerns lese-majeste offences, said that from January to October this year, 122 lese-majeste cases came before the Court of First Instance, with eight pending in the Appeals Court and three with the Supreme Court.

Kwanravee was among the protesters who stood vigil for 112 minutes. She said the lese-majeste law blurred the line between defamation and honest criticism of the institution of the monarchy.

Protester Prajin Tannagkorn said he had noticed a sharp rise in the number of people challenging the law.

Akong was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sending four SMS text messages defamatory to the Queen and the monarchy from his mobile phone to a personal secretary of then PM Abhisit Vejjajiva. Protester Sununtawadee Thunyathorn said there are technical doubts about the man's guilt.

"If I don't come, and just sit at home, such a case will occur again," Sununtawadee said.