Harry Nicolaides is by all accounts a normal, fun loving, respectable individual who has never been in trouble with the law. Late last year however Harry was arrested in Thailand after writing a book, Verisimilitude, in which a few sentences were seen as criticizing the Thai crown prince. The book was a fictional account of life in Thailand that included a reference to the love life of an unnamed prince. For this, Nicolaides was sentenced to 3 years in a Thai prison, where he remains to this day.
Nicolaides’ imprisonment draws attention to Thailand’s chilling lese-majeste law which imposes self –censorship, in matters dealing with the royal family, on anybody in Thailand who wishes to stay out of prison. In fact a December issue of the highly respected Economist magazine was reported to have been voluntarily kept off the shelves in Thailand by the distributors because it reported the Nicolaides’ story and drew attention to the role of the monarchy in Thai politics.
While this law might have a role in Thailand’s history, there are many in Thailand (and around the world) who would argue that history is exactly where this law belongs.
If you are interested in helping to free Harry, check out the following website and sign the petition: http://www.bringharryhome.com/
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