URGENT: PROTEST THAILAND! FREEDOM FOR HARRY NICOLAIDES!

For Immediate Release: January 22, 2009

Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935

NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) and its friends will have a peaceful demonstration outside the Royal Thai Consulate in New York (351 East 52nd Street between First and Second Avenue) on Thursday, January 29, 2009 from 12 noon-2PM, to call upon Thailand to bring about the immediate and unconditional release from prison of ethnic Greek prisoner of conscience Harry Nicolaides, a teacher and writer who has been imprisoned solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression and his rights to offer opinions in writing.

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URGENT: CALL ON THAILAND TO RELEASE FROM PRISON HARRY NICOLAIDES

An Australian Cypriot or ethnic Greek was jailed for three years in Thailand this past Monday January 19, 2009 for offending Thailand’s King. Harry Nicolaides, 41, was originally sentenced to six years imprisonment but this was reduced after he pleaded guilty to lèse-majesté charges. Lèse-majesté crimes, which can carry up to a 15-year jail sentence in Thailand, apply to “whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir to the throne or the Regent”—that in Thailand is considered “semi-divine” It is imperative for Hellenes or ethnic Greeks around the world to protest this violation and stand up for one of our own. The right to freedom of expression is a universal human right. Protest letters and petitions against this arrest have been published in Cyprus and in the Cypriot community of Australia. World news wires have noted the ethnic Greek origin of Nicolaides. The time is now for all ethnic Greeks to unite behind the cause of FREEDOM FOR NICOLAIDES. The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) will be demonstrating outside the Thailand diplomatic posts in New York and Washington DC periodically, and we encourage all Hellenes, to unite in the cause of FREEDOM FOR NICOLAIDES and to protest Thailand by letter writing or demonstrating, and do all that is possible to draw public attention to the unjust imprisonment of our ethnic Greek brother and call upon the Thailand government bring about his immediate and unconditional release from prison.

The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) considers Harry Nicolaides an ethnic Greek prisoner of conscience.

Current Status

Harry Nicolaides, whose father was a Greek Cypriot who emigrated to Australia in 1955, told reporters he had endured “unspeakable suffering” during his five months of detention but would not elaborate. He also asked them to tell his family he was “very concerned”.   The Thailand prison system has been condemned for many years by human rights organizations for its cramped and unsanitary conditions and its practices of torture. Every day that Nicolaides spends in that Thai prison is another day in Hell.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

WRITE TO THE THAILAND GOVERNMENT TO BRING ABOUT HARRY NICOLAIDES’ IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE FROM PRISON

BY MAIL OR FAX:

Mr.Abhisit Vejjajiva

Prime Minister

Government house,

Pitsanulok Road, Dusit District,

Bangkok 10300

THAILAND

Fax: +66 2 282 8631

c.c.

MR. KRIT GARNJANA-GOONCHORN

Royal Thai Embassy,

1024 Wisconsin Ave.,

N.W. Washington D.C. 20007

Fax. (202) 944-3611

Email: thai.wsn@thaiembdc.org

Your Excellency:

I am writing to express my grave concern over the imprisonment of Harry Nicolaides, a teacher and writer who has been imprisoned solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression and his rights to offer opinions in writing. I urge you to bring about his immediate and unconditional release from prison.

The right to freedom of expression is protected under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Thailand has signed. Harry Nicolaides’s imprisonment appears to be a violation of both of these legal instruments. The pervasive system of censorship in Thailand contradicts the guarantees of freedom of expression that are embodied in international law. I am alarmed that authorities continue to use laws to detain journalists, dissidents and others engaged in the peaceful exercise of their right to free expression.

The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) considers Harry Nicolaides an ethnic Greek prisoner of conscience. Many Hellenes or ethnic Greeks in America and around the world, are distressed at seeing one of our brothers imprisoned simply for exercising his rights to freedom of expression. I respectfully call upon you to bring about his immediate and unconditional release from prison. I urge you to amend or repeal laws or regulations that can be used to persecute individuals who exercise their right to freedom of expression.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

(Your Address)

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BACKGROUND

For More Information Read:

‘Writer jailed for defaming royalty in book that sold seven copies’, THE INDEPENDENT (UK), Monday, 19 January 2009

URL:   http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/writer-jailed-for-defaming-royalty-in-book-that-sold-seven-copies-1451243.html

Τριετής φυλάκιση σε κυπριακής καταγωγής δημοσιογράφο, I SIMERINI, Cyprus, Tuesday, 20 January 2009

URL: http://www.sigmalive.com/simerini/news/social/112513

Father makes plea for son's release from Thai jail, The Famagusta Gazette, Cyprus, Wednesday, 21, January 2009

URL: http://www.famagusta-gazette.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=69&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=7366&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2350&hn=famagusta-gazette&he=.com

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Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)
2578 Broadway #132
New York, NY 10025
New York: Tel. 917-699-9935
Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
www.cyprusactionnetwork.org
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