The Criminal Court has dismissed a petition requesting an inquiry to end inhumane treatment of human rights lawyer Anon Nampa regarding the use of leg shackles during his royal defamation trial, citing that the practice was lawful.

Thai historian Thongchai Winichakul joined with representatives from the Cross Cultural Foundation and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights to submit a petition to the Criminal Court requesting the removal of leg shackles from detained human rights lawyer Anon Nampa during his royal defamation trial. The petition argues that the shackles violate Anon’s human dignity.

A 57-year-old jailed pro-democracy activist faces serious health issues in detention in the Bangkok Remand Prison, raising concerns over the adequacy of medical care for detainees.

The Corrections Department has yet to provide the medical records of Netiporn Sanesangkhom, a pro-democracy activist who died in pre-trial detention during a hunger strike, claiming that a power of attorney was not done correctly. Netiporn’s lawyer has said the information he has received contradicts the statement made by the Department to the media.

Following reports that several protesters in prison have been harassed by other inmates and that others have not received proper medical care, a group of activists staged a protest in front of the Bangkok Remand Prison to demand that the Department of Corrections improve how prisoners are treated.

Premchai Karnasutra, the former chairman of Italian-Thai Development, who was imprisoned for his involvement in a black panther poaching case in 2018, has been granted early release and will serve the remainder of his sentence at home.

Detained political activist Ekkachai Hongkangwan has been transferred to the Corrections Hospital due to a high fever. Upon examination, he was found to have abnormal kidney function and leukocytosis.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been transferred from prison to a hospital due to concerns over his high blood pressure and low blood oxygen level after being sent to jail for convictions in criminal cases.

<p>Corrections Department director-general Aryut Sinthoppan ordered a wholesale reform of prison labour usage to assure that departmental practices are in keeping with human rights principles, according to a press release on 1 March.</p>

<p>Following a Thomson Reuter exclusive report alleging the use of forced labour in a number of Thai prisons, Khon Kaen Fishing Net Ltd (KKF), a company that supports prisoner vocational rehabilitation programs, announced that they will terminate their contracts with any prisons involved in the abuse.</p>

<p>The Department of Corrections has admitted an infection toll in prisons nationwide of 11,670. The Courts have announced new procedures to reduce the prison population.</p>

<p>Chukiat &lsquo;Justin&rsquo; Sangwong, a leading figure in the Thai pro-democracy protests, has tested positive for Covid-19 while in detention as a suspect under the lèse majesté law, the Department of Corrections confirmed on 24 April.</p>