3 activists have been indicted on charges of sedition and royal defamation, among other charges, over a protest in front of parliament on 24 September 2020.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that Jutatip Sirikhan, Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon, and Chanin Wongsri were indicted on Thursday (17 July) on charges of sedition, royal defamation, participating in an assembly of more than 10 persons and causing a breach of peace, violation of the Emergency Decree, and violation of the Communicable Diseases Act.

The public prosecutor indicted them on the grounds that they did not implement disease control measures during the protest, which the prosecutor claimed was crowded and at risk of spreading Covid-19, and refused to follow a police order for them to move out of the road and away from parliament entrance. The prosecutor also said that they defamed the King in their speeches. Jutatip’s speech concerned changes in how crown property is managed. Patsaravalee spoke about road closures during royal motorcades, the principle of ‘the King can do no wrong,’ and the hope that the monarch will function under the Constitution. Chanin spoke about problems with sections on the monarchy in the 2017 Constitution and not being able to criticize the monarchy when it uses taxpayer’s money, and criticized the budget allocation for the Army.

All three activists were granted bail on a security of 180,000 baht each and on condition that they must not obstruct or damage their trial.

The protest to demand constitutional amendments and monarchy reform took place in front of parliament on 24 September 2020, the day when a parliamentary session was discussing constitutional amendments. Jutatip, Patsaravalee, and Chanin were later summoned by the police along with two other activists, Kiattichai  Tangpornphan and Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree to hear their charges. Kiattichai and Tattep have since gone into exile overseas.

TLHR noted that the activists were originally charged with sedition, but were summoned by the police again in December 2020 and informed that they have also been charged with royal defamation. They were summoned one more time in February 2021 and informed that charges of participating in an assembly of more than 10 persons and causing a breach of peace, violation of the Emergency Decree, and violation of the Communicable Diseases Act had been added.

The case was forwarded to the public prosecutor on 19 January 2024. The activists have been required to report to the public prosecutor once a month for the past year and a half before they were indicted.

Chonticha Jangrew, activist-turned-People’s Party MP, was also charged with violation of the Emergency Decree and participating in an assembly of more than 10 persons and causing a breach of peace. The Dusit District Court dismissed all charges against her on the grounds that the protest was held in an open air space and at a time when the Covid-19 situation had already improved. The Court also said that there was no evidence that the protest caused a breach of peace.