A U.S. academic charged with breaking Thailand’s strict royal defamation laws was granted bail on Wednesday, his lawyers said, but remains in custody pending an appeal to immigration authorities who earlier revoked his visa.

Paul Chambers, who has spent over a decade teaching Southeast Asian politics at a Thai university, was arrested on Tuesday after reporting to police to answer a charge of lese-majeste.

His case is a rare instance of a foreigner falling foul of strict laws that shield King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family from any criticism and can lead to decades-long prison sentences.