Thai woman jailed for 43 years over defaming monarchy

Thailand court’s verdict has surprised many human rights activists. The longest-ever sentence given to a woman for violating the kingdom’s controversial lèse-majesté law.

A Thai woman has been jailed for 43 years and 6 months for sharing audio clips on social media said to defame the Thai monarchy. The ex-civil servant’s sentence was reduced, indeed. The Thai court initially announced a sentence of 87 years but reduced it by half because of Anchan’s guilty plea.

According to Sunai Phasuk from Human Rights Watch: “Today’s court verdict is shocking and sends a spine-chilling signal that not only criticisms of the monarchy won’t be tolerated, but they will also be severely punished.”

Violating Thailand’s lèse-majesté law is punishable by three to 15 years’ imprisonment per count. There were 29 counts, according to the investigation.