Activist Jatupat Boonpattararaksa has been sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison on a sedition charge for participating in a protest on 10 September 2020 to demand monarchy reform.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that the Khon Kaen Provincial Court on Wednesday (5 February) found Jatupat guilty of sedition on the grounds that he said in his speech that the law has been used to suppress people’s freedom because the head of state and related positions are above the law, and because he participated in a protest holding a banner calling for limitations to the King’s power. The content of the speech and the banner, the Court said, is an accusation against the King and influenced people to disrespect the monarchy and therefore not an exercise of freedom of expression under the Constitution.

The Court cited Section 6 of the Constitution, which says that the King is held in a revered position and inviolable. It then ruled that calling for the repeal of Section 6 and the royal defamation law, an investigation into the King’s property, and abolition of the royal offices infringes upon the King’s power and that the protesters intend to weaken the monarchy and cause disrespect, which could lead to conflict since people who disagree with these demands could clash with those who call for them.

The Court sentenced Jatupat to 3 years in prison. It initially increased his sentence to 4 years because he was previously sentenced to prison and repeated his offence within 5 years of his release. It then reduced his sentence to 2 years and 8 months because he gave useful testimony.

Jatupat was later granted bail on a 100,000-baht security. He was allowed to put down only 70,000 baht in cash as security and was not given any conditions.

During the 10 September 2020 protest, protesters marched from the Sarit Thanarat Monument in Khon Kaen city to Khon Kaen Provincial Police Station, where Jatupat and a number of activists reported to hear charges resulting from another protest on 23 July 2020. Protesters were holding banners with several demands regarding the monarchy, such as the repeal of the royal defamation law and limiting the royal family’s budget. They also called for a new constitution and the abolition of compulsory military service.

TLHR said that the complaint against Jatupat was filed by Supat Passakorn, former President of the Khon Kaen Loves the King Club, and Pol Lt Col Adisak Ngamchud, an investigation officer at Khon Kaen Provincial Police Station.