The Volokh Conspiracy

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"Thai junta vows to 'hunt' fugitive lese majeste suspects"

|The Volokh Conspiracy |


Well-wishers carrying portraits and banners, gather to celebrate the 87th birthday of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, at the Siriraj Hospital where the kin has been hospitalized since early October after he had his gall bladder removed, Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

So reports Agence France Press; the "lese majeste" law is the one that bans criticism of the King:

Rights groups say cases breaching Article 112 of the penal code—which protects the monarchy from criticism—have surged since the May coup, as the military burnishes its reputation as the defender of the royal family….

Lese majeste suspects are known to be in France and the United Kingdom among other nations.

"We will hunt and arrest all of these suspects," Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters.

"We want to explain to foreign countries that these people have breached an article of Thai law that qualifies them for extradition," Prawit, who is also defence minister, added.

"We focus on violators of Article 112 because these people have a bad attitude towards the monarchy," he said, adding that the "issue is crucial"….

Appalling, though of course the real danger is to the many Thais in Thailand who have been prosecuted—I'm nearly certain that France and Britain would not extradite such critics who are living in those countries.