At 14, Thanalop Phalanchai became one of the youngest people ever charged with royal defamation. At 15, she was arrested and held in pre-trial detention, making her the youngest person to ever be detained on a royal defamation charge. Her arrest and detention raised questions about the Thai juvenile justice system and whether it is serving the best interests of the country’s children.

Thai authorities should immediately drop charges and release a 15-year-old student activist detained for allegedly defaming the monarchy, Human Rights Watch said today (28 April).

For the first week 15-year-old Thanalop spent in pre-trial detention at a Juvenile Centre, her lawyer said Centre officials refused to allow her visitors and did not inform the lawyer that Thanalop had contracted Covid-19 until several days after she tested positive.

A group of activists staged a protest in Bangkok’s Siam shopping district to demand the release of 15-year-old Thanalop, who has been held in pre-trial detention on a royal defamation charge for the past week.

After a 15-year-old girl was detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge on Wednesday (29 March), Amnesty International notes how children continue to be targeted by the authorities for dissent and how recent use of the royal defamation law shows the shrinking of civic space in Thailand. They also called for the authorities to drop charges against activists and protesters and refrain from arrest and pre-trial detention of peaceful protesters.

A 15-year-old girl charged with royal defamation following a complaint filed against her by a royalist activist was arrested on Tuesday (28 March) and is now detained at a juvenile centre.

<p>A 14-year-old girl became the youngest person to be charged with royal defamation after she received a police summons following a complaint filed against her by a royalist activist.</p>

<p>As Thailand will soon be due for another general election, members of the civil society are now concerned that policies advocating for the welfare of women, children, and LGBTQ+ people and for gender equality would be used as a campaigning tool, as many political parties have yet to implement policies proposed during the 2019 election.</p>

<p>Angelina Jolie and Amnesty International have joined forces to create a resource for children and young people to learn about their rights, with the publication of a new book which empowers teenagers to speak out against injustice.</p>

<p>Today (20 May), Amnesty International Thailand and representatives of young people facing charges due to their political expression and their family gather to demand that the Thai authorities drop political charges against children and young people unde the age of 18 who were exercising their freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9134">protest on Saturday</a> (20 March), Amnesty International calls for the Thai authorities to drop all charges against children and others who participate in protests and for an investigation into the authorities&#39; excessive use of force and ill treatment against protesters.&nbsp;</p>