He has been charged with insulting the nation’s monarchy and faces years-long sentences.
The U.S. government expressed concerns over the arrest of American citizen Paul Chambers in Thailand under the country’s strict lèse majesté laws and the Computer Crimes Act. Chambers, who teaches political science at Naresun University, has been charged with offending Thailand’s monarchy. He has been denied bail and faces years in prison under the country’s strict laws against criticizing the monarchy.
Attorneys stated that Chambers “neither wrote nor published“ the online webinar description on which the case is based. Chambers’ wife stated, “Just feels like they wanted to deter Chambers from doing his work and research, which often touches on topics like the economics of the Thai army.“
State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, “We continue to urge Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression. As a treaty ally of Thailand, we will closely monitor this issue and advocate for the fair treatment of Paul Chambers.“
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For U.S. citizens who are being wrongfully detained around in foreign nations.
- For Secretary Rubio as he heads efforts to release Americans imprisoned abroad.
Sources: State Department, The Hill, MSN, The Week US
