A group of university students began their protest against severe sentences for those convicted of lese majeste prior to a football match yesterday.

Before the traditional Chulalongkorn versus Thammasat university football match at Supachalasai Stadium yesterday afternoon, the students, calling themselves the Alliance of People's Democracy (APD), wore paper masks bearing the face of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, the former editor of Voice of Taksin magazine. Somyot was sentenced to 10 years in prison last month for publishing two articles deemed offensive to the monarchy in the magazine.

They also waved banners and announced a plan to rally tomorrow in front of the Criminal Court.

The APD said the punishments meted out to lese majeste offenders are too harsh. Tomorrow, they will gather at Lat Phrao intersection at 11am and march to the Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek Road, where Somyot was sentenced, to protest against the imprisonment of the former editor and other lese majeste offenders. They will then continue their march to Victory Monument, where they will stage activities to raise awareness about their campaign.