The police have summoned Ekkachai Hongkangwan, anti-junta activist and former lèse majesté prisoner, for posting pornographic content online. The charge came after the activist ridiculed Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, No.2 in the junta.
Ekkachai Hongkangwan (courtesy of Banrasdr Photo)
On 16 January 2018, four police officers served a summons on Ekkachai Hongkangwan at his home, ordering him to report to the Technology Crime Suppression Division on 19 January to hear an accusation against him of a computer-related crime.
According to the summons, Pol Maj Ekkaphon Saeng-arun filed a complaint against Ekkachai for importing pornographic content into a computer system, which constitutes a violation of Article 14 of the controversial Computer Crimes Act.
Ekkachai, however, later posted on his Facebook account that he cannot remember posting any content that violates the law.
“Until now, I cannot think which posts ‘import into a computer system any data of a pornographic nature that is publicly accessible’,” read Ekkachai’s post, citing Article 14 of the Computer Crimes Act.
The Appeal Court in May 2014 ruled Ekkachai guilty of lèse majesté and sentenced him to two years and eight months in jail. He was charged with selling CD copies of an Australian Broadcasting Corporation news programme about the Thai royal succession. Since his release in November 2015, he has become a political activist.
During the past month, he has repeatedly attempted to give a watch to Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, who is now facing corruption allegations over his luxury watches.
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