Top Thai protest leader jailed on royal insult charges
World+Biz
26 September, 2023, 11:30 am
Last modified: 26 September, 2023, 11:32 am
Anon Numpa was convicted under Thailand's tough lese-majeste laws over a speech he made in Bangkok in 2020 at the height of the street demonstrations
A general view of the parliament on the day of the second vote for a new prime minister, at the parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, July 19, 2023.REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa/File photo
A Thai court on Tuesday jailed one of the leading figures in the kingdom's youth-led pro-democracy protest movement for four years on royal insult charges.
Anon Numpa was convicted under Thailand's tough lese-majeste laws over a speech he made in Bangkok in 2020 at the height of the street demonstrations.
Anon was one of a number of protesters who made unprecedented calls for reform to the legislation, which protects King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family from criticism.
Bangkok's Criminal Court ruled Tuesday that Anon's speech at Democracy Monument amounted to lese-majeste, sentencing him to four years in prison.
He was also fined 20,000 baht ($550) for violating an emergency decree in effect at the time.
Comments
While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.