A victim of Thailand's lese-majeste laws dies in prison...

Amphon "Akong" Tangnoppakul, 61, who had been sentenced to 20 years in prison, has died. His death is a slap in the face of the Thai hyper-royalists who have employed the draconian lèse-majesté law as a political weapon to control differences in political views in society.

Akong died early today, 8 May 2012, after complaining about severe stomach pain since Friday. He died in a government hospital, not long after he had decided to request for a royal pardon. Previously he had always maintained his innocence. But the chance of him being set free was slim as long as he refused to admit his guilt.

 Akong was found guilty on four counts under the lèse-majesté law and computer crime laws. He was accused of sending four text messages which supposedly insulted the royal family. It has never been proven that indeed Akong had sent out those messages. Full story...

Related posts:

1. Macbeth too much for Thailand! Play about a king's murder is banned...
2. Student in Thailand faces prison for "having opinions" about the king...
3. Killing in the name of Thailand's king...
4. Thailand's Crown Prince promotes his dog and displays his topless wife...
5. Thai activist jailed for seven and a half years for royal 'insult'
6. Thai activist jailed for 15 years for royal slur...
7. Thailand lese majeste man jailed for 20 years...
8. Thailand man accused of Facebook 'insult' to monarchy...
9. Thailand arrests US citizen for "insulting the monarchy"