A Thai court has rejected a bail request for activist lawyer Arnon Nampa, who was recently sentenced to four years in prison for royal insults, according to his lawyer. The case is one of the most high-profile lese-majeste (royal insult) cases in Southeast Asia.
Arnon is a well-known human rights lawyer who gained attention during the 2020 pro-democracy protests for calling for public debate on the role of Thailand’s powerful king. Despite denying any wrongdoing, he was sentenced on Tuesday in the first of 14 cases accusing him of violating article 112, which is known as the royal insults law.
The Appeal Court has justified the rejection of Arnon’s bail request by expressing concerns that he might flee if granted bail, as stated by his lawyer Krisadang Nutcharus. Krisadang has indicated that he will discuss with Arnon the possibility of making another bail request or appealing the order to the Supreme Court.
Thailand’s lese-majeste law provides legal protection for the monarchy by criminalizing criticism, with a maximum prison sentence of 15 years for each perceived insult. This excessive punishment has been widely criticized by international human rights organizations.
In 2020, Arnon played a leadership role in the youth-led democracy movement that organized protests in Bangkok. These demonstrations, which attracted hundreds of thousands of participants, demanded the removal of then-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a staunch royalist who had come to power through a coup.
Reported by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Written by Orathai Sriring; Edited by William Mallard
Credit: The Star : News Feed
