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Facebook blocks group critical of Thai king as more arrests made

Facebook blocked access within Thailand to a group of one million members that has criticised the country's king but said it was planning a legal challenge to the government's demand.

The move comes amid near-daily youth-led protests against the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former military chief, and unprecedented calls for reforms of the monarchy.

On Tuesday, police arrested for the third time this month prominent lawyer and activist Arnon Nampha, the first-ever person to openly call for reforms of the monarchy.

Thailand's lese majeste laws, which forbid defaming the king with penalties of up to 15 years in prison, is often the basis for such requests to block or remove content on social media platforms.

Earlier this month, Thailand's digital minister accused Facebook of not complying with requests to restrict content, including insults to the monarchy.

Original article
Author: Aljazeera

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