<p>The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) call for the Thai authorities to end legal prosecution against individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression and to amend Article 112 to bring it into line with Thailand&rsquo;s human rights obligations under the ICCPR, as the number of individuals facing&nbsp;lèse majesté charges reached 100.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ARTICLE 19 calls for an end to the use of defamation law against crtics of the Prime Minister and for the Thai government to decriminalise defamation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today (20 May), Amnesty International Thailand and representatives of young people facing charges due to their political expression and their family gather to demand that the Thai authorities drop political charges against children and young people unde the age of 18 who were exercising their freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The mother of student activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul&nbsp;has received a police summons on a charge under the Emergency Decree, after she joined a protest demanding her daughter&rsquo;s release.</p>

<p><a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9224">Two Chiang Mai University students</a> reported to the police yesterday (11 May) after being summoned on a royal defamation charge over an art installation piece, while an artists&rsquo; network has called on the University to defend their freedom</p>

<p>Student activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, who has been detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge, has been granted bail, while Siraphop Phumphuengphut, another student activist, has been denied bail and detained pending trial.</p>

<p>Scholars at Risk (SAR) has sent to Thai authorities the&nbsp;letter raising concern over the rapidly deteriorating health of two detained students, Parit Chiwarak and Panusaya Sitthijirawattanakul. SAR calls for an immediate&nbsp;release&nbsp;so they may get the appropriate medical care they need.</p>

<p>Two students from Chiang Mai University have received police summonses on charges under the lèse majesté law and the 1979 Flag Act for an art installation piece exhibited at an event in March 2021.</p>

<p>Student activist Wanwalee Thammasattaya has been detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge relating to a protest on 6 December 2020</p>

<p>Four people currently facing royal defamation charges and detained pending trial have been granted bail: activists Jatupat Boonpattararaksa and Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, and two other people who were previously detained at prisons in Chiang Mai.</p>

<p>Thai artists are joining the online campaign &ldquo;#DrawTheJustice&rdquo; to protest against the unfair judicial process and for political activists currently facing charges or detained pending trial to be granted justice.</p>

<p>PEN International issued a <a href="https://pen-international.org/news/thailand-government-expands-legal-system-against-critics-criminalising-peaceful-expression">statement</a> on Tuesday (20 April) raising concerns about the Thai authorities&#39; use of the royal defamation law against critics of the monarchy and call for the repeal of Section 112 and for all charges against the protesters to be immediately dropped.&nbsp;</p>