The South Bangkok Criminal Court today (20 March) dismissed a royal defamation charge filed against activist Nawat Liangwattana over a speech he gave at a protest on 14 August 2023, said Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).

A 77-year-old has been sentenced to prison for royal defamation over a protest speech that she delivered on 26 July 2023. She was given a two-year suspension and required to attend a dhamma training program. She is also considered the eldest person to be prosecuted under royal defamation law following the mass protests in 2020.

The Appeal Court today (16 August) ruled to uphold the guilty verdict against Atirut (last name withheld), a 29-year-old programmer charged with royal defamation for shouting at a royal motorcade.

Two detained pro-democracy activists, who face multiple royal defamation lawsuits, have been granted bail in a case over their speech on 1 February 2021. However, they remain in detention because they have been denied bail in other cases.

The Appeal Court has sentenced former activist Phromsorn Viradhammajari to 2 years and 10 months in prison on a royal defamation charge over the 14 January 2021 protest demanding the release of a student activist who had been arrested.

Ekachai Hongkangwan is an ordinary citizen who suddenly emerged as a “secret figure” on Thailand’s political scene after the 2006 coup, which not only reshaped the course of Thai politics but also irreversibly altered his life. Despite being detained several times and facing repeated death threats for his symbolic acts of resistance, Ekachai remained relentless in pursuing his activism. His deteriorating health in custody highlights a broader issue: access to medical care — a fundamental human right — which remains deeply flawed for prisoners in Thailand. For many inmates, the life of someone behind bars appears to be considered far less valuable than a life outside prison. The issue is even more poignant for so-called ‘prisoners of conscience,’ whose alleged crimes continue to be widely questioned.

15 human rights organizations have condemned the sentencing of Thai woman human rights defender Pimsiri Petchnamrob, alongside activists Anon Nampa, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, and Phromsorn Weerathamjaree. They called on the Thai authorities to overturn the sentences against them and to stop using the royal defamation law against individuals exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

Following the sentencing to free speech activist Pimsiri Petchnamrob and three others to 2years and 8 months prison on a royal defamation charge, Human Rights Watch said that the prosecution of Pimsiri marks further backsliding on fundamental freedoms in Thailand.

A 28-year-old from Mukdahan has been sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison on a royal defamation charge filed over a comment under a Facebook post featuring a picture of King Vajiralongkorn and his son Prince Dipangkorn.

Four activists have been found guilty of royal defamation and sentenced to prison over speeches given at a protest in front of the 11th Infantry Regiment headquarters on 29 November 2020.

A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to prison by the Supreme Court for royal defamation over his social media post questioning the death of King Rama VIII. The ruling has stirred outcry among the general public, as many argued that the Court overinterpreted the law and that the decision could harm academic historical studies.

A 43-year-old has been sentenced to 30 years in prison over 10 social media posts. He already faced another royal defamation charge. When combined, his sentence is now 50 years in prison, making it one of the longest royal defamation sentences.