June 18 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Attorney General’s Office of Thailand announced this Tuesday the indictment of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for insulting the monarchy and violating the lese majeste law, a regulation that has generated numerous protests in the Asian country in recent years.
In addition, he has been charged with a crime related to the Computer Law for having allegedly entered sensitive information into a digital system considered a “threat” to national security, a spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office reported.
The country’s Criminal Court has released Thaksin on bail of 500,000 baht (about 13,000 euros) on the belief that he will not flee, tamper with evidence, commit dangerous actions or obstruct court proceedings, although he He has ordered to surrender his passport, so he will not be able to leave the country unless the authorities order it, according to what the Thai newspaper ‘Bangkok Post’ has published.
This decision was made based on the words spoken by Thaksin during an interview given in 2015 in South Korea, where he allegedly defamed the Thai Royal House by pointing out that some royal advisors were involved in the 2014 coup against the Thai Government. his little sister, Yingluck Shinawatra.
The security forces have alleged that the comments made during said interview with the newspaper ‘Chosun Ilbo’ represent a violation of article 112 of the Thai Penal Code, which could lead to sentences of between three and fifteen years in prison.
Thaksin, who still enjoys strong popularity among the Thai population, was surrounded by his followers upon his return to the country in March 2024. The former president was released in February after being considered fit due to his state of health and advanced age. , and must appear before the Court on June 18 at 9:00 a.m. (local time).
The Thai politician had been hospitalized since returning to the country after fifteen years of exile and had already served more than a third of the reduced sentence – 120 days -. In addition, King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand had granted him a partial pardon and reduced his sentence in a clear gesture towards him who is one of the most relevant figures in the country’s recent history.
The former prime minister was ousted from power in 2006 by the military and fled the country two years later after being accused of corruption. His return would have come after a kind of pact with the military elite, which continues to enjoy extensive power in the Asian country.
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