By Amarin TV and Reuters – published by The Straits Times
THE Ratchada Criminal Court today (Feb. 20) sentenced jailed activist lawyer Arnon Nampha and three other defendants to two years and eight months in prison without parole for violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law.
The other three defendants are Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, Pimsiri Petchnamrob and Promsorn Veerathamjari.
The court found that their speeches given under the title “Disarming Thai Feudalism” in front of the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen in November 2020 violated the royal insult law.
However the court acquitted Natthida Meewangpla of this charge as she had spoken about the dispersal of Red Shirt protests in 2010 and her experience of being detained by the military after the 2007 coup.
Nevertheless, as the rally violated Section 9 of the 2005 Emergency Decree, a fine of 15,000 baht per person was imposed. Furthermore, as an amplifier was used without permission the court slapped an additional fine of 200 baht per person.
Due to the court’s consideration of the defendants’ testimonies as helpful, the sentences were reduced to two-thirds, with details being as follows:
1/ Arnon, Somyot, Pimsiri and Phromsorn were given reduced sentences of two years and eight months imprisonment for the Section 112 charge.
They were also given a combined fine of 10,200 baht for violating Section 9 of the Emergency Decree and using a device without permission.
2/ Natthida was fined 10,200 baht for violating Section 9 of the Emergency Decree and using a device without permission.
As for Intira Charoenpura, or Sai, the court acquitted her of all charges.
Their lawyers are currently filing for bail pending appeal.
Arnon, 41, was a prominent figure during unprecedented youth-led democracy movement protests in Bangkok in 2020 that openly called for the monarchy to be reformed.
Thailand’s lese-majeste law protects the palace from criticism and carries a maximum jail sentence of up to 15 years for each perceived royal insult, a punishment widely condemned by international human rights groups as extreme.
Arnon has been in prison since September 2023 for violating the royal insult law stemming from his speeches at political rallies and social media posts between 2020 and 2021.
The verdict today was the 11th of 14 royal insult cases he faced bringing his combined sentence to more than 30 years.
According to legal aid group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, at least 291 people have been charged with lese majeste offences since 2020.
CAPTION:
Jailed activist lawyer Arnon Nampha. Above photos – Amarin TV, Front Page photo – Thai Rath
Also read:
Anon gets 2 years and 8 months in another Section 112 case
Anon gets 2 years and 20 days in jail in lese majeste case
Appeals Court refuses to grant Anon bail in Section 112 case
Appeals Court rejects Anon’s bail request in Section 112 case
