Thai Activist Lawyer Faces Lengthy Prison Sentence Under Lese-Majeste Law

Thailand's court sentenced activist lawyer Arnon Nampa to an additional two years and eight months in prison for insulting the monarchy, bringing his total sentence to over 30 years. The case highlights the controversial lese-majeste law, sparking criticism from international human rights groups.

A Thai court has imposed an additional prison sentence on jailed activist lawyer Arnon Nampa, extending his incarceration by two years and eight months for insulting the monarchy. This brings his total sentence to more than 30 years, according to a rights group statement made on Friday.

Arnon, aged 41, emerged as a key figure in the 2020 youth-led democracy protests in Bangkok, which boldly demanded reforms in the monarchy. These protests challenged Thailand's strict lese-majeste law, which protects the royal family from criticism and imposes severe penalties of up to 15 years for each offense. The law has faced widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations, who argue that it is excessively harsh.

Since September 2023, Arnon has been imprisoned due to allegations from his political speeches and social media activity between 2020 and 2021. Friday's ruling marked the 11th of 14 royal insult charges Arnon faces. Since 2020, at least 291 individuals have faced charges under the lese-majeste law, according to data from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)