<p>The public prosecutor has yet to rule on whether to file a case against 18 people involved in the 19 &ndash; 20 September 2020 protests and has postponed the hearing to 8 March 2021; meanwhile four activists detained last week pending trial were once again denied bail.</p>

<p>A protest took place at the Democracy Monument yesterday (13 February) to demand the release of four activists <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9059">detained</a> last week pending trial, as well as demanding the resignation of the prime minister, a new constitution, and monarchy reform.</p>

<p>A crowd of around 500 gathered at the Pathumwan Skywalk yesterday evening (9 February), after the Criminal Court <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9059">denied bail</a> for activists Parit Chiwarak, Anon Nampa, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, and Patipan Luecha, who are being detained in prison pending trial and have been taken to the Bangkok Remand Prison.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Women and LGBTQ activists who participated in the 2020 pro-democracy movement are facing gendered harassment and discrimination even from within their own movement, says a new report by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.</p>

<p>Student activist Benja Apan and 2 other activists from the student activist group United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration went to the Iconsiam shopping mall on the afternoon of 19 January holding signs saying &ldquo;Monopolizing the vaccine to give the spotlight to the monarchy&rdquo;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/thailand">Thailand&rsquo;s&nbsp;</a>government in 2020 escalated its repression of basic rights in the face of a growing, youth-led democracy movement demanding political and constitutional reforms, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/13/thailand-rights-crisis-rapidly-worsens?fbclid=IwAR0r2vNVrc82Edi59BvBR96JO2LEOMd1KKSVvqHEkQsc5F7QuGQj9-OM1_8">Human Rights Watch</a> said on Wednesday (13 January) in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021">World Report 2021</a>.</p>

<p>3 more people have been charged with royal defamation under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, bringing the number of people facing Section 112 charges to 40.</p>

<p>On 31 December, the volunteer protest guard group We Volunteer (WeVo) were organising a shrimp sale at Sanam Luang when they were surrounded by police officers, who arrested 12 members of the group, including group leader Piyarat &ldquo;Toto&rdquo; Chongtep.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Representatives of four high school student activist groups tell stories of the harassment and legal prosecution they now face after speaking out about human rights violations they face in school, reiterating that the right to freedom of expression is a constitutional right, while vowing to keep fighting nonetheless.</p>

<p>17 activists have received summonses to hear lèse majesté charges during the past week, since Parit Chiwarak received a summons on 24 November. The law has not been used in the past two years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US Senators Bob Menendez&nbsp;and Dick Durbin, along with seven other senators, introduced yesterday (3 December 2020) a Senate Resolution in support of Thailand&#39;s pro-democracy movement,&nbsp;which have been met with violence and repression from the authorities.&nbsp;</p>