8th October, 2019
A Thai pro-democracy activist has been arrested and faces up to five years in prison over a Facebook post about European history.
A Thai court on Tuesday approved a police request to detain activist Karn Pongpraphapan, 25, who is charged with violating computer crime laws by “inputting information affecting national security. The crime laws carry a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 baht (3,280 dollars).
Karn’s lawyer, Winyat Chatmontree said that he was in the process of requesting bail for his client.
Puttipong Punnakanta, Minister at the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, said that Karn had a history of posting divisive messages on social media which “affect society as a whole.”
Puttipong was speaking at a news conference titled “cracking down on inappropriate content,” after last week’s top trending hashtag on Thai Twitter criticized a royal motorcade that stopped traffic and also ambulances.
Thailand’s monarchy is protected by the world’s harshest lese-majesty laws under which criticism of the monarchy is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Lawyer Winyat said the Facebook post that Karn has been charged for made no references to Thailand’s royal family.
“It mentioned history in Russia, Germany, and France,” Winyat said. “It did not refer to the monarchy or any members of the royal family” he added.
Winyat requested that the full content of the Facebook post, which has been deleted, not be revealed until Karn’s bail is approved by the court.