ASIA: Thai lawyer upbeat on royal pardon for Aussie Nicolaides
20 Jan 2009 8:26 PM
A leading Thai human rights lawyer says there are grounds for optimism a royal pardon for Australian writer HARRY NICOLAIDES will be granted once the 30-day appeal process to the jail sentence is over.
NICOLAIDES received a three-year jail term on Monday on charges of offending the Thai monarchy.
The 41-year-old had pleaded guilty to the charge of offending the royal family .. in 12 lines he wrote in a 2005 novel.
In his ruling .. the judge said NICOLAIDES .. a journalist and teacher .. had slandered the king .. the crown prince of Thailand and the monarchy.
The judge had sentenced him to six years .. but reduced the jail term to three years following NICOLAIDES' guilty plea.
SOMCHAI HOMLA-OR .. a human rights lawyer .. says there were grounds for optimism for a royal pardon .. because normally foreigners are not expected to behave in the same manner as the Thai person.
He says diplomatic pressure from Australia and the media are also important in the appeal for NICOLAIDES' early release.
