The content in this page ("Calling to observe for court trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, director of Prachatai website, on 4 - 17 February 2011, 9.00am - 4.00pm at the Criminal Court" by Asian Human Rights Commission) is not produced by Prachatai staff. Prachatai merely provides a platform, and the opinions stated here do not necessarily reflect those of Prachatai.

Calling to observe for court trial of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, director of Prachatai website, on 4 - 17 February 2011, 9.00am - 4.00pm at the Criminal Court

The criminal court will conduct the witness hearings on the case of Ms. Chiranuch Premchaiporn from 4 to 17 February 2010. Ms. Chiranuch will appear as the defendant, while the Office of the Special Attorney on Criminal Case 8 which is under Office of the Attorney-General will appear as the prosecutor. This case deals with the penalty related to the intermediary under the Section 15 of the Computer Crime Act which is related to supporting or consenting to an offence related to national security within a computer system under the intermediary’s control.

The Criminal Court is scheduled to hear the witnesses of the case in the following dates:
Plaintiff's witnesses               February 4, 8, 9, 10                     9.00- 12.30 and 13.30 - 16.00
Defendant's witnesses         February 11, 15, 16, 17              9.00- 12.30 and 13.30 - 16.00
Place: Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek road

Simultaneous translation is available in the court room for foreign journalists and trial observers upon request (Please contact Thaweeporn at the phone number below).

Background:
The police charged Chiranuch for an offence according to Article 15 of the Computer-Related Crime Act: intentionally support or consent to an offence under Article 14, allegedly committed by an Internet user. The offence in this case is the posting on Prachatai webboard a piece of text that the authority deemed related to the national security.

The Crime Suppression Division later submitted the charges against Chiranuch to the Office of Attorney-General. And the prosecutors finally laid out a case on 31 March 2010.
 

Read more Analysis on Chiranuch Latest Charges and Arrest

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

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