Political Activist in Thailand Sentenced to Record 50 Years in Prison for Insulting Monarchy

A court of appeals in Thailand has delivered what is believed to be a record sentence for the criminal offense of insulting the monarchy, sentencing political activist Mongkhon Thirakot to 50 years in prison. The court found him guilty of 25 violations of the law, overturning the lower court's previous acquittals.

Mongkhon, 30, had initially been sentenced to 28 years in prison last year by a provincial court in Chiang Rai for 14 of the 27 Facebook posts for which he was charged. However, the Northern Region court of appeals in Chiang Rai not only upheld the 14 guilty verdicts but also found him guilty in 11 of the 13 cases for which he had previously been acquitted. As a result, his sentence was increased by an additional 22 years, bringing the total to 50 years.

The law on insulting the monarchy, also known as lèse-majesté, carries a prison term of three to 15 years for each count. Critics argue that the law is often used to suppress political dissent. In 2020, student-led pro-democracy protests openly criticized the monarchy, leading to intensified prosecutions under this law, which had historically been rarely enforced.

According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, over 260 people have been charged with lèse-majesté since the protests began. The court of appeals justified its decision to reverse the lower court's acquittals by ruling that the law can be applied even when it is not the current monarch or immediate family members who are being criticized. This overturns the previous standard that had been upheld for many years.

Mongkhon's defense team, including lawyer Theerapon Khoomsap, has announced plans to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. However, their application for Mongkhon to remain free on bail was denied.

The previous record for the longest prison term related to lèse-majesté belonged to a former civil servant, identified only as Anchan, who was sentenced to 29 counts in 2021. Initially facing 87 years in prison, her sentence was halved due to her guilty plea.

In a separate case, well-known human rights lawyer and political activist Arnon Nampa was sentenced to four years in prison for three Facebook posts that violated the law. This sentence adds to the four-year term he was given last year for a speech he delivered in 2020.

The controversial application of lèse-majesté laws continues to spark debate and concerns about freedom of expression in Thailand.