<p>The Criminal Court has refused to repeal an order blocking an online petition for the repeal of the royal defamation law, claiming that the website contains a phrase that is a distortion of fact.</p>

<p>The activist network Citizens for the Abolition of 112 submitted a petition to the US Embassy yesterday (10 May) calling for the US to pressure the Thai authorities to release detained activists and repeal the royal defamation law.</p>

<p>Starting on 31 October, civil society will seek people&#39;s signatures to support the deletion of the royal defamation law from the Thai Criminal Code.</p>