lese majeste
31 Mar 2023
After a 15-year-old girl was detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge on Wednesday (29 March), Amnesty International notes how children continue to be targeted by the authorities for dissent and how recent use of the royal defamation law shows the shrinking of civic space in Thailand. They also called for the authorities to drop charges against activists and protesters and refrain from arrest and pre-trial detention of peaceful protesters.
27 Mar 2023
The Taling Chan Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for activist Chukiat Sangwong after he missed a court hearing following an accident, claiming that it believes he is trying to delay the case by refusing to come to court.
17 Mar 2023
A new report by the CIVICUS Monitor rates civic space in Thailand as 'repressed,' as the royal defamation law continues to be used to criminalise dissent and spyware has been used against activists. Protesters were also prosecuted and faced excessive force while concerns remain about a restrictive NGO bill.
17 Mar 2023
A 23-year-old student has been sentenced to 2 years in prison for royal defamation and violation of the Computer Crimes Act, after the Criminal Court ruled that although the royal defamation law does not explicitly state that it covers only the current king, defaming King Bhumibol is still an offence under the law as it affects King Vajiralongkorn.
15 Mar 2023
A 38-year-old indigenous Karen man from Mae Hong Son has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for royal defamation and sedition over 4 Facebook posts and denied bail.
11 Mar 2023
Two protesters arrested on Thursday (9 March) and charged with royal defamation and contempt of court for singing and speaking at a protest in July 2022 have been denied bail.
10 Mar 2023
Cartoon by Stephff: Crackdown on rubber ducks
7 Mar 2023
A 26-year-old man has been found guilty and sentenced to 2 years in prison on a royal defamation charge for selling a rubber duck calendar, after the Taling Chan Criminal Court ruled that the depiction of the rubber duck was a mockery of the King.
4 Mar 2023
The Criminal Court has refused to repeal an order blocking an online petition for the repeal of the royal defamation law, claiming that the website contains a phrase that is a distortion of fact.
14 Feb 2023
A 14-year-old girl became the youngest person to be charged with royal defamation after she received a police summons following a complaint filed against her by a royalist activist.
10 Feb 2023
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) urges the Thai government to listen to the demands of two hunger striking activists and amend the lèse-majesté, or royal defamation, law.
5 Feb 2023
Activists Tantawan Tuatulanon and Orawan Phuphong, who are undergoing a hunger strike to demand the release of political prisoners and judicial reform, will continue their hunger strike until every political prisoner is released, said their lawyer during a press conference on Saturday (4 February).
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