no freedom here

[realthog]

Here's the kind of story you expect to find associated with tyrannical hellholes like Zimbabwe or North Korea, not supposedly benign Thailand:

Writer jailed for Thai 'insult'

Australian writer Harry Nicolaides has been sentenced to three years in a Thai jail for insulting the monarchy.

Nicolaides wrote a novel four years ago, which contained a brief passage referring to an unnamed crown prince. It sold just seven copies.

He admitted the charge of insulting the royal family, but said he was unaware he was committing an offence.

Criticism of those in authority is the lifeblood of democracy; closer to home, we've seen the cost of its lack as loyal Bushies for several years did their best to smother dissent by stigmatizing all critics as traitors, terrorists or worse, thereby stampeding us into two unnecessary and almost certainly unwinnable wars, possibly fatal delays in tackling global warming, vastly increased environmental pollution, a surge in the rates of not just poverty but gross poverty, a slew of war crimes, the abolition of habeas corpus, and the worst global economic crisis in at least generations. Thailand's draconian laws persecuting anyone who offers even the most tangential criticism of the royal family are an obscenity, making a mockery of all other claims -- and there are many -- that the country has to democracy. Shame on them.

Comments

[kylecassidy.livejournal.com]

Funny thing is this guy insulted the monarchy to an audience which seems to be comprised almost entirely of the author himself, and the monarchy's just insulted themselves in front of the whole world. Maybe the prince will have to put himself in jail....

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

I wonder if the Australian Govt is kicking up a stink behind the scenes? I'd be surprised if they merely let one of their nationals hang out to dry like this.