The attorney-general has decided not to indict American academic Paul Chambers on a lèse majesté charge, on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence to prove that he was responsible for posting a statement on a website, which was deemed to be defamatory to the monarchy.
The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said today that it was informed by the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) on Tuesday that the lèse majesté charge against Chambers, a former lecturer at the Faculty of Social Science, Naresuan University in Phitsanuloke province, had been dropped.
The Third Army Region filed a complaint with the police in Phitsanuloke, accusing Chambers of offending the monarchy in an article regarding reshuffles in the army and the police force in October last year.
On April 4th he was informed by the university that a warrant for his arrest had been issued by the Phitsanuloke provincial court. He was arrested four days later and held on remand pending trial. His visa was revoked by the immigration police.
The case sparked protests from both local and international human rights organisations, demanding his release. On May 1st, the director-general of Region 6 of the OAG’s Office decided to drop all charges against Chambers, but this was opposed by the Region 6 police commissioner. The case was then referred to the attorney-general, who has the final say on the case, according to TLHR.
The attorney-general noted that the website of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute of Singapore was used to invite interested readers to participate in a seminar, featuring Chambers as one of the speakers.
There was, however, no proof that Chambers actually wrote or posted the statement in question. The mere fact that the name and picture of Chambers appeared in the statement was insufficient to hold him responsible for it.
TLHR said that the decision means that the case is over and Chambers if now a free man.
