BANGKOK - AN AMERICAN has been arrested in Thailand for allegedly insulting its monarchy, a serious offence in this Southeast Asian nation punishable by up to 15 years in jail.
The US Embassy confirmed the arrest but gave few details.
The 54-year-old man arrested on Thursday created a link on his blog in 2007 to The King Never Smiles, an unauthorized biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej that is banned in Thailand, a spokesman for the Department of Special Investigation, Thailand's equivalent of the FBI, said on Friday.
The man denies the charge against him. He was born in Thailand and lived in the US state of Colorado for 30 years and returned to Thailand last year for medical treatment.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy but has severe lese majeste laws that mandate a jail term of three to 15 years for any person who 'defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir to the throne or the Regent.' Thai-based media routinely self-censor coverage of the royal family, but the Internet has tested the taboo. Thai authorities have responded by trying to block more than 2,000 websites.
Critics say the lese majeste laws are often a weapon of political harassment, and calls have grown recently to amend or abolish them. -- AP
The compassionate face of Islam
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MUSLIMS should welcome the announcement by Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, the
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of religious affairs,
tha...
5 years ago
"Kenapa Umno sukakan kepada Mat Sabu? Jawabnya tidak ada sebab lain melainkan kerana Umno mengira mereka ada modal besar bila Mat Sabu duduk di nombor dua. Mereka akan menggunakan isu peribadi Mat Sabu untuk bahan kempen pilihan raya. Isu moral yang mereka gunakan untuk melemahkan PKR dengan isu Anwar akan 'dipolitikkan' kepada Pas dengan menggunakan isu peribadi lapuk Mat Sabu.
ReplyDeleteMungkin perwakilan sedar atau tidak. Kalau perwakilan sedar hal ini tetapi mereka tetap mahukan kepada Mat Sabu sudah tentu mereka mengira isu peribadi lapuk itu tidak memberi bekas. Jadi walaupun Umno akan tayangkan isu peribadi Mat Sabu khususnya mengenai kelancangannya berucap ia tidak menjadi bekas." - petikan dari mso
2. Nanti orang UMNO yang bangkrap idea akan kata Mat Sabu adalah Anuarista, orang PR yang telah diperkudakan DAP. Depa lupa kini kena kerjasama dengan parti yang sehaluan dalam mencari kesejahteraan rakyat bukannya sehaluan dari segi akidah, haram-halal, tutup aurat dan sebagainya. Perpaduan Melayu tak ujud sama juga perpaduan orang Amerika(republikan dan Demokrat tak bersatu dari segi pandangan politik,mana ada perpaduan Cina di China, perpaduan Indonesia di Indonesia, perpaduan Arab di negara Arab, perpaduan orang Asli cuma di Malaysia aje nak timbulkan perpaduan Melayu. Yang mestinya ada perpaduan dari segi politik nak humbankan rejim yang korap, tidak cekap dan tidak adil. Nak kalehkan perhatian cipta isu sex, khalwat, agama, buat video seks dan menyalakkan sentimen Melayu.Melayu pekak di kampung atau di FELDA bolehlah diklentong.