Last Monday July 25 2011, after 84 days detention, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk was brought to the criminal court to hear the prosecutor's charges against him.
The charges are related to articles written under the name of Jitra Polchan, and published in the 'Voice of Thaksin' magazine in February and March 2010. Somyot was editor of this magazine until it was shut down last year. Somyot was charged for publishing and distributing the magazines containing the articles in violation of lese majeste law.
The court set Monday September 12, 2011, for a pre-trial hearing. Based on previous cases involving lese majeste charges, Somyot risks imprisonment for 6 years incase he pleas guilty, and 12 years imprisonment in case he pleas not guilty. His lawyer is preparing another bail request this week.
