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Asia

Thai editor has lese majeste jail sentence reduced

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Magazine editor Somyot Pruksakasemsuk leaves the court after a sentencing ruling in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. The longest-serving prisoner jailed for violating controversial laws designed to protect the Thai monarchy had his sentence shortened from 11 years to seven years by Thailand's Supreme Court on Thursday. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (The Associated Press)

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    Magazine editor Somyot Pruksakasemsuk waves after the announcement of a court ruling in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. The longest-serving prisoner jailed for violating controversial laws designed to protect the Thai monarchy had his sentence shortened from 11 years to seven years by Thailand's Supreme Court on Thursday. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (The Associated Press)

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    Image 3 of 3

    Magazine editor Somyot Pruksakasemsuk leaves the court after a shortened sentence ruling in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. The longest-serving prisoner jailed for violating controversial laws designed to protect the Thai monarchy had his sentence shortened from 11 years to seven years by Thailand's Supreme Court on Thursday. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (The Associated Press)

BANGKOK – Thailand's Supreme Court has upheld but reduced the jail sentence of a magazine editor who is currently the longest-serving prisoner convicted of lese majeste — insulting the monarchy.

The court on Thursday cut to seven years from the 11-year sentence given in 2011 to Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, who was the editor of a magazine found to have published two articles deemed insulting to the Thai royal family. Because Somyot has already served almost six years, he will be released in 2018.

Thailand has come under increasing criticism for its lese majeste law, which carries a penalty of three to 15 years imprisonment.

Somyot was arrested only after he launched a petition to revoke the law a year after the articles were published in 2009. Critics say his case was politically motivated.