BANGKOK: A military court in Thailand jailed eight activists who posted comments critical of the ruling junta and a military-backed draft constitution, the latest opponents of the government penalised for airing dissent.
The military seized power in May 2014, throwing out an old constitution, clamping down on dissent and promising an election by mid-2017. But a draft constitution drawn up under military supervision has drawn disapproval from both sides of the political divide, and the junta has responded by banning criticism of the charter in the run-up to an August referendum on it.