A Thai court has sentenced lawyer and activist Arnon Nampa to an additional two years in prison for violating the country’s lèse-majesté law and calling for changes to the monarchy of the Asian nation, where topics related to the Royal House continue to be largely taboo.
Following this new ruling, the activist now accumulates more than 34 years behind bars, according to a statement by the Thailand Lawyers for Human Rights organization, which has harshly criticized the new sentence imposed on Nampa.
The lawyer became known during the intense protests of 2020, when thousands of demonstrators demanded a reform of the Constitution and of the controversial regulation that protects the Royal House. The 42-year-old man has remained imprisoned since 2023 for several offenses linked to alleged insults to the monarchy.
This latest judicial decision is part of a case in which four other people have also been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for the same charges. Three of the five people sentenced this Friday were already in prison for the offense of insulting the monarchy.
The lèse-majesté legislation in Thailand shields the Royal House from criticism and comments and provides for sentences of up to 15 years in prison in the event of a violation. This type of sentence has been rejected by international human rights organizations, which consider them "extremes".