Three people have been found guilty of royal defamation and given a suspended prison sentence of 1 year and 6 months for allegedly setting fire to a portrait of King Vajiralongkorn in front of the Ministry of Labour during a protest in September 2021.
Narongsak (last name withheld), Athikun (last name withheld), and Nattapon Lekyaem were accused of burning the portrait during the 14 September 2021 Din Daeng intersection protest and charged with royal defamation and arson. They were arrested on 17 and 18 September 2021 and later released on bail.
Nattapon confessed during his arrest, but later recanted his confession. He said during the investigation that an officer convinced him to confess by telling him that he would get a lighter sentence if he did so.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that all three pleaded guilty during witness examination. On 18 December, they were found guilty and sentenced to 3 years in prison, reduced to 1 year and 6 months because they confessed. The prison sentence is suspended for three years but they will be subjected to 2 years of probation and required to do 24 hours of community service. They must also pay the Ministry of Labour 106,373.46 baht in damages.
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