Rukchanok Srinok, a member of Thailand’s opposition Forward Party, is seen at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand on the 13th./Sopha Saelee/AP
2023.12.15 Fri posted at 13:05 JST
(CNN) A Thai court sentenced a progressive lawmaker to six years in prison on the 14th for insulting the royal family in a social media post. This was revealed by the human rights organization TLHR.
Rukchanok Srinok, 29, a lawmaker from the opposition Forward Party, was found guilty in Thailand’s criminal court of lese majeste and violating computer crime laws. He blames two 2020 posts he made on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Thailand’s lese majeste laws are among the strictest in the world, with each offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison for criticizing the king, queen or their successors. This makes even speaking about the royal family risky.
In recent years, Thailand has seen protests led by young people calling for a constitutional amendment and a reduction in the military’s political influence. More than 100 people have been charged with lese majeste, as the protests also included reforms to the royal family.
TLHR, which is following Rep. Srinok’s trial, explained that one of the posts in question included criticism of the government’s procurement of coronavirus vaccines. It also contained a description linking a certain pharmaceutical company to the king.
The other was a retweet of an image from a protest in 2020, and the accompanying message was deemed anti-royal by a court.
According to TLHR, Rep. Srinok was granted bail pending his appeal. After leaving court, the lawmaker announced in a post on his Facebook page that he would return to his work in Congress. He also wrote that he wanted to “speak out for all 112 defendants to be granted bail.”
Before joining politics in 2023, Srinnock rose to prominence as an influential activist. At the time, he was known for his harsh criticism of former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who took power in a coup in 2014.
The Progressive Party to which he belongs won the most votes in the general election in May, but was blocked from forming a government by powerful conservative vested interests.
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2023-12-15 04:05:00
