<p dir="ltr">After a decade-long legal battle, the Supreme Court has handed one to two years suspended sentences to 10 civil society workers, including Jon Ungphakorn, Director of iLaw, former Senator and founder of Prachatai, for instigating chaos and trespassing into the parliament compound in 2007.</p>
<p>On 15 March 2017, the Supreme Court handed guilty verdicts to 10 high-profile civil society workers accused of trespassing onto the grounds of parliament during a rally against the 2007 National Legislative Assembly (NLA), appointed by the 2006 coup-makers.</p>
<p>On 23 February 2017, the Supreme Court sentenced Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a labour and democracy activist turned lèse majesté suspect, to six years in prison, ending his six year struggle against the charge. As a man of principle, Somyot was the first lèse majesté suspect in a decade to choose to fight until the end, rather than pleading guilty for a lighter jail term. Prachatai has gathered 14 facts about the man whose legal battle has sparked debate about Thailand’s controversial lèse majesté law.</p>
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<p>Renowned pro-democracy academics have submitted a joint statement to condemn the Thai authorities for the detention of Jatuphat ‘Pai’ Boonpattararaksa, saying the country’s judicial system has failed to safeguard human rights and the rule of law. </p>
<p>At 11 am on 30 January 2017, leading members of the Thai Academic Network for Civil Rights (TANC), including Anusorn Unno, Puangthong Pawakapan, Yukti Mukdawijitra, and Pichit Likitkijsomboon, gathered at the Supreme Court in the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex.</p>
<p>The Supreme Court has fined two of Yingluck’s supporters 500 baht each for staring at public prosecutors during the trial on the rice pledging scheme corruption case.</p>
<p>On 19 January 2017, judges of the Supreme Court ruled to fine ML Mingmongkol Sonakul, a member of the aristocracy and film director and writer, and Tas Wanpharuehat 500 baht each.</p>
<div><em>The Supreme Court sentenced to life imprisonment a northeastern red shirt leader convicted of arson, committed in response to the violent crackdown on red shirts in Bangkok. The red-shirt tells Prachatai he would prefer just to be executed. </em></div>
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<p>A man accused of lèse majesté for making false claims about the King’s property has been sent to a psychiatric hospital after three months of pre-charge detention. </p>
<div>The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the decision of the Appeal Court to accept Prachatai’s lawsuit against the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) for unfairly blocking the news website for almost nine months in the wake of the 2010 political violence. </div>
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<div>The Supreme Court’s decision allows a civil case between Prachatai as plaintiff and MICT and the Finance Ministry as defendants to go to trial.</div>
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<div>Five years ago, when the anti-establishment red-shirt supporters staged mass demonstrations in March-May 2010, th
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<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Record on lese majeste cases since 2010 shows that the military court is likely to hold more trials in camera and sentence lese majeste convicts to more years in prison in comparison to the civilian court.</span></div>
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<div>The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied bail to Katha P., a stockbroker who was imprisoned for posting rumours about the king’s health condition, citing flight risk. </div>
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By Myles Gough |
<p><em>A recent Supreme Court verdict has set a man free, while setting a troubling precedent about acceptable defences in lèse majesté trials.<strong> Myles Gough </strong>reports. </em></p>
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<div>Following is an unofficial translation of the Supreme Court's verdict which stated on May 8, 2013 that Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law, is applicable to Thailand's former Kings.</div>
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