Australian writer gets a royal pardon

The Australian writer, Harry Nicolaides, who had been jailed for insulting the Thai royal family has been released and he reached the city of Melbourne this Saturday to a tearful reunion with his family.

Nicolaides was sentenced to three years jail after pleading guilty to lese majeste, or slandering the monarchy, in his 2005 novel titled “Verisimilitude”. The charge against him related to a passage in the novel, of which Nicolaides says only a handful of copies were sold.

41-year-old Nicolaides was released Friday evening after officials approved a royal pardon — the result of intense lobbying by Canberra.

“I was informed I had a royal pardon and asked to kneel before a portrait of the king — a royal audience of sorts,” Nicolaides told reporters on arrival at Melbourne airport.

Speaking at his son’s side, Nicolaides’ father Socrates said the ordeal had been a “living death” for the family.

Brother Forde Nicolaides said he was “ecstatic” at the outcome. “Our emphasis to the Thai government was … for them to consider Harry’s case compassionately and expeditiously,” he told adding, “I think everyone was on the same page, as they have been reasonably expeditious with the application. We are very grateful for that.”