In order to support Free Somyot campaign in Thailand, Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) would like to initiate an action to express our solidarity with Somyot and call for the repeal of draconian lèse-majesté law in Thailand.
In conjunction with the coming trials of Somyot in April and also one year of his pre-trial detention, we would like to call for a day of action to support the Free Somyout Campaign, to call for the release of Somyot and an end to the repressive lèse-majesté law in Thailand.
We call upon our fraternal organisations to:
1) Endorse the joint statement (attached below)
2) Organise a protest at Embassy of Thailand in respective countries.
Background About Somyot
Somyot is known for his tirelessly work in the workers movement and the establishment of democratic trade unionism in Thailand. In 2007 he became Editor of the Voice of Taksin magazine (now called Red Power), a political publication opposed to military coup. Somyot is the chair of Union of Democratic Labour Alliance and the leader of 24th June democracy group which was formed in the aftermath of military coup September 2006.
Somyot was arrested on 30 April 2011 by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) by which he was accused for violation of section 112. Somyot’s arrest came only five days after the launch of a petition for a parliamentary review to revoke Section 112 of the Criminal Code, which Somyot claims contradicts democratic and human rights principles. According to a document produced by the public-prosecutor, Somyot is also alleged to have allowed two articles that make negative references to the monarchy to be published in his magazine.
Since May 2011, Somyot’s application for bail continues to be denied. The court has denied bail for Somyot for the 8th time on 12 March 2012. The authority has yet to provide any adequate justification for the prolonged detention of Somyot.
The coming hearing dates are as below:
Prosecution witness hearings - 18/4/2012, 19/4/2012, 20/4/2012, 24/4/2012, 25/4/2012, 26/4/2012
Defence witness hearings: 1/5/2012, 2/5/2012, 3/5/2012, 4/5/2012
You may visit Free Somyot campaign blog for more information: http://freesomyot.wordpress.com/
About lèse-majesté law in Thailand
Thailand’s Criminal has carried a prohibition against lèse-majesté since 1908. All 17 versions of Thai Constitution contained such clause that prohibiting lèse-majesté. In the Article 112 of Thai Criminal Code, it states: : "Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years." Such law has been used against political dissidents and suppressed freedom of expression in Thailand.
Lèse-majesté law has been systematically used against pro-democracy activists and dissidents since 2006. The latest convicted Lèse-majesté case is Surachai Danwattananusorn, a 71-year old pro-democracy activist, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail for speeches made in late 2010.
Besides Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, there are also a numbers of people facing charges under Lèse-majesté law.
Call for action:
We call upon our fraternal organisations to:
1) Endorse the joint statement(below)
2) Organise a protest at Embassy of Thailand in respective countries on 26 April 2012 or any other day during Somyot’s trial.
For enquiries and to add your organisation's name to the statement, please contact Chon Kai at +60-19-5669518, e-mail: [email protected]
You can submit this letter to [email protected] or submit it online at the Clean Clothes Campaign here.
The President of the Supreme Court of Justice of Thailand
6 Ratchadamnoen Nai Road,
Prabarommaharatchawang, Phranakorn,
Bangkok 10200 Thailand
HE Ms Yingluck Shinawatra
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
Government House
Pitsanulok Road, Dusit District
Bangkok 10300, Thailand
Your Excellency,
I am writing to you in connection with the upcoming trial and continued detention of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk who will stand trial on charges of lèse majesté from 21 November 2011 until 4 May 2012 and who could face the maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment. He has been in pre-trial detention for nine months since the arrest by officials from the Department of Special Investigation in April 2011.
The Thai Constitution affords the right to a speedy and fair trial. We are concerned Somyot Prueksakasemsuk may not be accorded these basic rights. We believe that by holding the hearings across Thailand with no evident reason places a severe and unnecessary risk to Somyot’s health and security. We believe the denial of bail is part of an ongoing pattern of harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders in Thailand. We ask the Thai judicial authorities to ensure that the rights of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk are upheld during his detention and that he is accorded his right to a fair trial, including the right to bail and the holding of the court sessions in Bangkok.
We respectfully remind you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and calls on States to ensure that they can carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.
We ask you to ensure that
Somyot Prueksakasemsuk is released. Failing his immediate and unconditional release, we ask that Somyot Prueksakasemsuk be granted his right to bail, in accordance with fair trial standards under domestic and international law;
The remaining court hearings are held in Bangkok including the upcoming prosecution witness hearing on the 13th February;
Human rights defenders in Thailand, especially those working on freedom of expression, are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions, including judicial harassment.
Yours Sincerely,
