By: Nicole Hoerold
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
BANGKOK, Thailand – A Thai human rights lawyer appeared in court on May 3 where he was charged with 10 counts of royal defamation. If convicted, Prawet Prapanukul faces up to 150 years in prison. His case is the most number of charges for the crime brought against an individual in recent history.
Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté law makes it a crime to threaten, insult, or defame the king, queen, heir-apparent, or the regent, as enshrined in Article 112 of the country’s criminal code. There is no definition of what constitutes such an insult to the monarchy, and lèse-majesté complaints can be brought by anyone, against anyone, and are always required to be formally investigated by the police.
In addition to 10 counts of insulting the monarchy, Prawet is accused on three counts of breaking section 116 of Thailand’s criminal code, which covers sedition. Human Rights Watch has warned that the laws are being used by military authorities to curb the opposition.
It is still not known what Prawet might have written or said that led to his arrest and charges. A spokesperson for the military government declined to comment on the case. Thailand’s military seized power from an elected civilian government in a spring 2014 coup. Since the government was overthrown, the junta has detained hundreds of journalists, activists, and politicians for alleged protests and anti-junta activities.
It is unclear what will happen in Prawet’s case, but the Thai junta have made it clear that it is unaccepting of any acts in violation of Thailand’s lèse-majesté laws.
For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Thai lawyer faces 150 years in jail for royal insult – 4 May, 2017
The Telegraph – Thai rights lawyer faces up to 150 years in prison for royal insult – 4 May, 2017
Jurist – Thailand human rights lawyer charged for insulting royal family – 4 May, 2017
RT News – Top Thai human rights lawyer faces 150 years in prison for ‘royal insult’ – 4 May, 2017
BBC News – Thailand’s lese-majeste laws explained – 3 December, 2016
