Thai man sentenced to record 50 years for criticizing monarchy
A man named Mongkol Thirakot has received a record-breaking 50-year prison sentence for criticizing the Thailand monarchy on his Facebook account, as reported by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR). This is the longest sentence ever given under Thailand's strict lese-majesty laws, which protect King Vajiralongkorn and his family from criticism. Critics argue that the increasing use of these laws against pro-democracy protesters is an attempt to silence opposition.
Initial sentence increased during appeal
Thirakot, a 30-year-old former activist and online clothing store owner, was initially sentenced to 28 years by a lower criminal court. However, during his appeal in Chiang Rai, he was found guilty on 11 more counts, resulting in an additional 22-year sentence. TLHR said, "The appeal court sentenced Mongkol Thirakot to 22 years for 112 over his 27 Facebook posts, in addition to the 28-year sentence already passed by the preliminary court. His total jail sentence is 50 years."
Record royal defamation sentence
According to TLHR, Thirakot received the longest sentence for royal defamation, surpassing the previous record of 43 years imposed on a woman in 2021. The details of what prompted such a severe punishment for Thirakot remain undisclosed. The judge mentioned multiple Facebook comments, and Thai courts typically issue additional convictions for each post.
Lese-majesty laws and ongoing protests
The lese-majesty law was temporarily suspended at the beginning of King Vajiralongkorn's reign in 2019. However, it has been reinstated and widely applied since the onset of student-led protests three years ago, demanding substantial reforms to the monarchy. Since the protest movement began in 2020, over 250 activists have been charged under these laws, according to TLHR.
Thirakot plans to appeal his sentence in supreme court
In 2020 and 2021, youth-led protests saw thousands of people demanding changes to the strict lese-majesty law, commonly known as "112" in Thailand after the relevant section of the criminal code. Separately, Thirakot plans to appeal his sentence at the supreme court. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, prominent protest leader and lawyer Arnon Nampa had his four-year lese-majesty sentence increased by another four years.
