<p dir="ltr">The Supreme Court has sentenced four people accused of shooting grenades into People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters in early 2014 to death, but reduced the penalty to life imprisonment. &nbsp;</p> <p>On 22 August 2017, the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling of the lower courts in handing dealth sentence to Chatchawan Prabbamrung, Somsri Marit, Sunthorn Pipuannog, and Tweechai Wichakam, according to <a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4959">the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights</a>. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The public prosecutor has charged eight people with royal defamation for burning royal arches. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>On 16 August 2017, at the Provincial Court of Phon District, Khon Kaen Province, the prosecutor indicted eight individuals (identities withheld due to privacy concerns) on charges of violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law, criminal association, and destruction of public property, <a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4913">Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported</a>.</p>

<p>The defence lawyer of Jatuphat ‘Pai Dao Din’ Boonpattararaksa has revealed that the renowned democracy activist chose to plead guilty because he was being tried in camera, with observers and the media not allowed into the courtroom.</p> <p>After standing firm behind bars for almost eight months, the abrupt decision of Jatuphat, a law student and key democracy activist, to&nbsp;<a href="http://prachatai.org/english/node/7327">plead guilty</a>&nbsp;took many people by surprise.</p>

<p>A provincial court has held the first hearing in the lèse majesté trial of Jatuphat ‘Pai Dao Din’ Boonpattararaksa in camera.</p> <p>On 3 August 2017, the provincial court of Khon Kaen held the first plaintiff witness hearing in the case of Jatuphat, a well-known anti-junta activist detained for royal defamation.</p> <p>Before the hearing began, the court posted a notice in front of the courtroom informing about 10 people who came to show support for Jatuphat and other observers that the trial would be held in camera.</p>

<p>The police have summoned a human rights lawyer who represented 14 well-known anti-junta youth activists imprisoned in 2015, accusing her of making false charges against officers. &nbsp;</p> <p>On 31 July 2017, Sirikan Charoensiri, a lawyer from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), received a letter from Chanasongkram Police Station, summoning her to hear charges against her at 10:30 am on 8 August.</p> <p>The letter states that she is accused of violating Articles 172 and 174 of the Criminal Code for making false accusations against investigating officers.</p>

<p>Human rights lawyers are arguing that suspects accused of defaming Princess Sirindhorn should not be indicted under the lèse majesté law.</p> <p>According to<a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4680">&nbsp;Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)</a>, from 18 July until December, the Provincial Court of Kamphaeng Phet will try four suspects charged with violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Almost one year after the constitution referendum in 2016, the police have concluded to press charges against 11 people accused of breaking the junta’s political gathering ban for participating in a discussion about the 2017 Constitution.</p>

<p>Three years after the last coup d’état, human rights lawyers have argued that the junta could not hold power without the support of the country’s judicial institutions.</p> <p>Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) on 27 May 2017 released&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4307">a report</a>&nbsp;about the relationship between the military government and judicial institutions.</p>

<p>Human rights lawyers have condemned the arrest and detention of the four latest lèse majesté suspects, including a 14-year-old. &nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4298">Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)</a>&nbsp;on 20 May 2017 issued a statement on the arrest of Chirayu, Rathathamanun, Akharaphong (surnames withheld due to privacy concerns), and a 14-year-old in Khon Kaen on 19 May.</p> <p>According to the police, the four were arrested for allegedly burning an arch erected in honour of the late King Bhumibol in Chonnabot District of Khon Kaen on 15 May.</p>

<div> <div>After over two years in jail, a man suspected of bombing a Thai court has been released on bail, since no witnesses have testified to his guilt.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 18 May 2017, Bangkok Military Court released Sansern Sriounruen after his family offered a 6 million baht land deed as surety for bail. He is one of 16 suspected of being behind the bombing of Bangkok Criminal Court on 7 March 2014. </div></div>

<p>The Criminal Court has refused to release two detainees accused of lèse majesté for sharing the Facebook post of an academic blacklisted by the junta. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>On 4 May 2017, the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Rd., Bangkok,<a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4194">&nbsp;denied&nbsp;</a>bail requests of 790,000 and 900,000 baht for two detainees accused of violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code, the lèse majesté law.</p>

<p>A provincial court in northern Thailand has dismissed charges against a local anti-junta activist accused of violating the controversial Referendum Act.</p> <p>The Provincial Court of Chiang Mai on 24 April 2017<a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=4077">&nbsp;acquitted Samat Khwanchai</a>, a 63-year-old anti-establishment red shirt, indicted for alleged violation of the Referendum Act for distributing leaflets at a parking lot of Panthip Plaza Shopping Mall in Chiang Mai on 21 July 2016.</p>