This Thai Activist And Lawyer Has Been Jailed For Four Years For Criticizing The Monarchy
Arnon Nampa, a prominent human rights lawyer, is the first person in Thailand to publicly speak out against the country’s monarchy.
![This Thai Activist And Lawyer Has Been Jailed For Four Years For Criticizing The Monarchy](/content/images/size/w1200/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thailand-arnon-nampa-jailed-lese-majeste.jpg)
A court in Bangkok, Thailand, has convicted Arnon Nampa, a prominent 39-year-old human rights lawyer and activist, to four years in prison for calling for a public debate on the role of the country’s monarchy.
![Thailand human right lawyer Arnon Nampa](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thailand-humna-right-lawyer-arnon-nampa.jpg)
Nampa, a leader in the student-led pro-democracy movement in August 2020, not only demanded the removal of former Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who came to power in a 2014 coup, but also broke a taboo with his open calls for reform of Thailand’s powerful monarchy.
![Thailands King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thailands-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-and-queen-suthida.jpg)
In 2020, Arnon delivered a speech calling for an open debate on the role of the monarchy to hundreds of demonstrators during student-led pro-democracy protests, making him the first person in Thailand to publicly speak out against the country’s monarchy.
![Thailand Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa speaks to protesters during a protest](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thailand-human-rights-lawyer-arnon-nampa-speaks-to-protesters-during-a-protest.jpg)
In Thailand, it is illegal to insult, defame or threaten the king, the queen and other members of the royal family under the lèse-majesté law, and sentences can range from three to 15 years.
On Tuesday Sep. 26, Arnon was found guilty of violating the lèse-majesté law and sentenced to four years in prison.
![Thailand activist Arnon Nampa speaks to anti government protesters](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thailand-activist-arnon-nampa-speaks-to-anti-government-portesters.jpg)
Arnon – who has denied that he was defaming the king – is still facing 13 other charges related to the lèse-majesté law.
Thailand’s lese-majeste law is among the world’s strictest; a 64-year-old woman has been ordered to stay behind bars for more than 43 years.
![Thailand anti government hold up three fingered salute](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thailand-anti-governement-hold-up-three-fingered-salute.jpg)
In the wake of the months-long 2020 protests against the then-military-backed-government, this law was has been used to target activists who were seen as defaming King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s palace, one of the wealthiest monarchies globally.
![Thailand protesters led by Jatupat Pai Boonpattararaksa](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thailand-protestors-led-by-jatupat-pai-boonpattararaksa.jpg)
Despite widespread criticism from human rights organizations, at least 257 people have been charged under the lese-majeste law in the last three years, according to NGO Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
Speaking to Reuters prior to the ruling, Arnon said he had no regrets.
![Arnon Nampa thailand human right lawyer and a prominent leader](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/arnon-nampa-thailand-human-right-lawyer-and-a-prominent-leader.jpg)
“The youth protest has created a phenomenon that has changed Thailand to the point of no return,” he said.
![Thailand students protesters called for dissolution of military backed government](https://almostmag.co/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/tahailand-students-protesters-called-for-dissolution-of-military-backed-governmnet.jpg)
“I believe that the people are becoming more confident in their freedom and equality and are ready to transform the country to be more progressive.”