Teen jailed for 12 months for royal insult

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In: South-East Asia

Defendant was 16 when offence took place at 2020 protest

PUBLISHED : 20 Jul 2023 at 20:30

Teen jailed for 12 months for royal insult
A poster featuring hunger-striking lese-majeste protester Tantawan Tuatulanon is displayed outside the Supreme Court, where she and Orawan Phuphong staged a fast from Feb 24 to March 3 before being readmitted to hospital. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)

A teenager has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for royal defamation, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).

The offence took place at a pro-democracy protest in 2020. The Bangkok Post has opted not to report the precise nature of the offence. The name of the 19-year-old was withheld by the court.

“The king is of a sacred status that should not be violated,” the court said in its judgement, according to TLHR.

The defendant, identified by TLHR as “Napasit”, was initially sentenced to three years in jail, “but as the defendant committed the crime when he was a minor aged 16, it was reduced by half to one year and six months. … And due to useful testimony the defendant gave, the sentence was reduced to 12 months”, the group said.

According to data from TLHR to June 30 this year, 1,916 people have been prosecuted for political participation and expression since the beginning of the Free Youth protests in July 2020. At least 252 are facing lese-majeste charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and 130 have been charged with sedition under Section 116.