Thai man handed 20 years over 'anti-monarchy' podcasts

A Thai man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday for uploading audio clips that insulted royal family members, his lawyer said, the latest harsh verdict under a defamation law that shields the monarchy from scrutiny.

Tara, whose last name was withheld to protect his relatives, was convicted on six counts of lese majeste, according to his lawyer Yaowalak Anuphan and iLaw, a group that tracks royal defamation cases.

He was detained in January 2015 for posting audio clips produced by 'DJ Banpodj', an underground podcast host known for fiery criticism of the powerful monarchy.

Later that year police claimed to arrest the DJ and nearly a dozen others allegedly linked to the 'Banpodj Network'.

"Tara would take the links and upload the clips to his own website," said Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw, adding that most of the content concerned the late king and queen.

A Bangkok military court official confirmed the sentencing.
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Thailand govt threatens to take Facebook to court over anti-monarchy posts

Facebook has removed 178 posts deemed insulting to the Thai monarchy thus far in 2017, as part of their effort to comply with Thailand's strict laws concerning “royal insult”.

But the military-backed government says there are an additional 131 posts that still need to come down. They have given the company until May 16 to remove 131 ‘anti-monarchy’ posts. If they do not cooperate, Thai officials say they will take the California-based company to court.

Thailand implements one of the harshest anti-Lese Majeste (Royal Insult) laws in the world. The government says the law is essential to preserving unity in the country, but human rights groups and legal scholars believe the law needs to be amended because it is overly broad and often abused by authorities.

According to the International Federation for Human Rights, 105 individuals have been arrested because of alleged Lese Majeste violations since the army took over in 2014. Before the 2014 coup, in which the army grabbed power and established the ruling junta, only six individuals were behind bars for insulting the monarchy.

Many of the arrested individuals were activists who have been criticising the army, which led human rights advocates to accuse the government of using the Lese Majeste law to silence dissent.

Thailand is a country in transition. It has a new king, a constitution drafted less than two years ago, and an army that has promised to restore civilian rule once electoral and political reforms have been implemented. In this time of transition, the government has been aggressive in restricting the work of media and arresting those who are campaigning for democratic reforms. Even those who simply ‘share’ and ‘like’ Facebook posts that are deemed disrespectful to the monarchy are criminally charged in the courts.
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Donald Trump signs twin executive orders, now targets trade 'cheaters'

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking a comprehensive review of the massive trade deficit totaling more than $500 billion per annum with 16 countries, including China and India.

He also signed a second order that seeks to strictly enforce anti-dumping laws. It would ensure that the US fully collects all duties imposed on foreign importers that "cheat", Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The announcement, which comes just days ahead of Trump's first meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, is widely seen as targeting China, even though US officials have insisted that it does not single out that country.

"They're cheaters. From now on, those who break the rules will face the consequences and there will be very severe consequences," Trump said without naming any country.

The first order directs the Department of Commerce and the Office of the US Trade Representative to examine the factors causing the trade deficit that totals more than $500 billion per annum and submit a report within 90 days.

The review of the factors and violations behind the trade deficits will be led by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Trump said.

"We're going to investigate all trade abuses, and based on those findings, we will take necessary and lawful action to end those many abuses. I'm not beholden to any political or financial interest. I don't care. I'm here to do a job," he said while insisting that he was acting for the "American worker". (READ MORE)