A Thai court ordered release on bail for American academics, where detention on charges of shaming the monarchy surprised US officials, a legal aid group representing him said Thursday.
Authorities confiscated a passport belonging to the academic Paul Chambers and placed an ankle monitor when deciding whether to indict him, said Akalachai Chaimankarakate, a lawyer for Thai lawyers for human rights representing Dr. Chambers.
Dr. Chambers, a lecturer in political science at Naresian University in Thailand, was detained on charges in northern Thailand on Wednesday and imprisoned in northern Thailand.
Dr. Chambers denied the charges and the court first refused his request for bail. The appeals court granted his release, and he was released on bail of 300,000 baht, or about $8,800, at about 1am on Thursday, his lawyer said in a statement.
His lawyers argued in the Court of Appeal that Dr. Chambers had not published any material that could honor the King, and that he had a strong relationship with Thailand after living there for the past 30 years, which posed no risk of flight.
Dr. Chambers cannot leave Thailand without court approval and must report it to the immigration department every 30 days, Chaiman Karakate said. Scholars whose visas have been revoked also face the risk of deportation.
Thailand’s Lèse-Majesté laws are the strictest in the world. Accusations under the law prohibiting slander, humiliation or intimidation are sentenced to a minimum of three years and a maximum of 15 years. It is rare for foreigners to be detained under the law.
