<p>6 opposition parties have issued a statement backing the&nbsp;call for the reform of the judicial system&nbsp;made by monarchy reform activists Tantawan Tuatulanon and Orawan Phuphong, who have been on a&nbsp;dry hunger strike&nbsp;since 18 January, but did not respond to their demand for political parties to back the repeal of the royal defamation and sedition laws.</p>

<p>Although many are already facing a long list of charges, activists have returned to protesting to support the demands made by two activists who have gone on a dry fast for over 10 days.</p>

<p>A 29-year-old activist in Chiang Rai has been sentenced to 28 years in prison on royal defamation charges resulting from a number of Facebook posts about the monarchy. The Chiang Rai Provincial Court found him guilty on 14 counts.</p>

<p>Under the watchful gaze of Abraham Lincoln, the UW-Madison Students for Thai Democracy braved the elements to demand the immediate release of political prisoners in Thailand.&nbsp; They also called upon the Thai government to meet the demands of activists Tantawan &ldquo;Tawan&rdquo; Tuatulanon and Orawan &ldquo;Bam&rdquo; Phuphong.</p>

<p>A food delivery rider accused on a royal defamation charge of setting fire to a portrait of King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida and detained pending appeal has gone on a hunger strike to protest his own detention.</p>

<p>In response to the hunger strikes of two detained activists, opposition political party members have pledged to support bail rights and ending the criminalisation of political opinions.</p>

<p>During a protest at Chiang Mai University yesterday (23 January) to demand the right to bail for political prisoners, police attempted to detain two students and accused them of causing panic and misunderstanding by dressing like inmates.</p>

<p>MPs from the Move Forward Party (MFP) joined the protest in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) yesterday (23 January), which was called to demand the release of political prisoners.</p>

<p>Journalists and students have submitted a letter to lawmakers to express their concern about a draft law on media ethics. They are calling for thorough public participation in the drafting process.</p>

<p>A businessman with alleged ties to Myanmar&rsquo;s junta leader, along with four other defendants, pleaded not guilty to money laundering and drug trafficking charges. The policeman spearheading the arrest has been transferred from Bangkok.</p>

<p>To show support for the demands made by two activists now on a dry hunger strike in prison, activists in several provinces have staged protests to demand the release of all political prisoners and reform of the judicial system.</p>

<p>Videos depicting sexual acts between an art teacher charged with statutory rape and his alleged victims have been circulating on Twitter for days, Prachatai English has found.&nbsp;</p>