Today: Monday, 23 December 2024 year

Thai woman jailed for 43 years over defaming monarchy

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.