(Bangkok, Paris) FIDH and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) today petitioned the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) to seek the release of Anchan Preelerd, who is currently serving the longest prison sentence ever imposed under Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code (lèse-majesté). Anchan, 65, is currently incarcerated at the […]
On 22 June 2021, at 08:00 am, Ms. Kanlaya (Pseudonym), a 27-year-old employee of a private company in Nonthaburi province, close to Bangkok, reported to Su-ngai Kolok District Police Station in Narathiwat province, Thailand’s Deep South, to acknowledge her charges under the “lese majeste” provisions of Article 112 of the Criminal Code, as well as […]
Since early June 2021, the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) has been receiving complaints from a number internet users that members of the Center of Legal Assistance for Victims of Cyberbullying Facebook Page have sent them via private message their personal information and threatened to report them for violating Section 112. The situation has […]
The hashtag #19SeptReturnPowerToThePeople was widely used to refer to the two-day demonstration held by “Ratsadon Group” at the Royal Plaza and Thammasat University from 19 to 20 September 2020. This rally is well-known for several of its distinctive features. It is estimated that around 200,000 protestors attended the event; many camped out at the Royal Garden and […]
The hashtag #19SeptReturnPowerToThePeople was widely used to refer to the two-day demonstration held by “Ratsadon Group” at the Royal Plaza and Thammasat University from 19 to 20 September 2020. This rally is well-known for several of its distinctive features. It is estimated that around 200,000 protestors attended the event; many camped out at the Royal Garden and […]
Bangkok, Paris, 11 June 2021: The number of individuals charged with lèse-majesté has reached 100, FIDH and Thai Lawyer for Human Rights (TLHR) said today. The overwhelming majority of these cases have stemmed from online political expression and the participation in peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations that took place between August 2020 and March 2021. “The vigorous […]
A 30-year-old man delivered a well-paced, smooth speech with his pleasant voice that one could listen to all day long. He appeared on stage wearing a crop top with red sweatpants, looking entirely different from other Ratsadon protest leaders. His style resembled the well-known look of “Justin Bieber,” an internationally renowned teenage superstar. Because of […]
The coup d’état on 22 May 2014 has left greater long-lasting legacies and enduring challenges for the resumption of democratic rule in Thailand than any previous coup over the past few decades. After the junta that launched the coup, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) ruled the country for five years, one month, […]
On 24 May 2021, the Central Juvenile and Family Court informed the lèse-majesté indictment dated 9 April 2021 to Thanakorn (surname withheld), aka Petch, a 17-year-old (as of the incident day) pro-democracy, LGBTQ+ human rights defender, making this the first case in Thailand to indict minors under the Article 112 of the Criminal Code (lèse-majesté […]
*Last updated on 19 July 2021/02.23 PM According to the TLHR database on juvenile prosecution (from 2020 onwards), at least 48 youths from among 46 cases have been prosecuted for political expression and protest. So far, 34 youths were arrested without warrant; 2 youths were injured during arrest by the police. There were 8 youths […]
On 8 April 2021, a hearing to examine the evidence in the case of the #19 September Return Power to the People protest was held in Room 704 at the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road. The protest in question was held on 19- 20 September 2020 on the Tha Prajan campus of Thammasat University and […]
With the continuation of COVID 19-related restrictions in January, the authorities have developed legal mechanism for limiting any possibility of public demonstration, and persecuting dissidents on grounds of public health and safety violations. The well-being and political rights of Thai citizens remain gravely unprotected as the abuse of the “lèse-majesté” law is intensified, leading to […]
