Oliver Jufer Gets 10 Years for Pleading Guilty to Lese Majeste

Swiss man jailed for insulting Thai king

CHIANG MIA, Thailand, March 29 (UPI) -- A Swiss man has been sentenced to 10 years in jail in Thailand for defacing posters of the king with spray paint.

Oliver Jufer, 57, pleaded guilty to five counts of insulting the Thai king and could have been sentenced to 20 years in prison. A judge reduced the sentence because of the guilty plea, the BBC reported.

Jufer was captured on videotape drunkenly marring a poster on King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 79th birthday in December.

Strict laws forbid any criticism of the Thai monarchy.

The BBC said that Jufer is believed to be the first foreigner imprisoned for criticizing the king. While he has a month to file an appeal, his best legal hope is a royal pardon, the report said.