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Thai human rights lawyer Anon was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison in 2020 for publicly calling for royal reform by dressing up as Harry Potter. The cumulative sentence has reached 38 years, and several other cases are still awaiting the court’s decision.
Thailand Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa acted like a movie in 2020harry potter “The hero, who has publicly called for reform of the royal system, faces prosecution for lèse-majesté. The Bangkok Criminal Court recently sentenced Anon and four other defendants to 2 years and 8 months in prison, bringing Anon’s total sentence to 38 years.
The Bangkok Post reported that on October 29, the Criminal Court ruled in a case of lèse-majesté. Anon, a well-known human rights lawyer, and four other defendants were sentenced to 4 years in prison. The court acknowledged that the defendants’ statements were helpful at trial and reduced the sentence by 1/3. Ultimately, each was sentenced to 2 years and 8 months without probation.
The case is one of 14 lèse-majesté cases against Enon, with verdicts in two other cases still pending. If combined with other adjudicated cases, Anon’s total sentence would reach 38 years.
Student movements in Thailand escalated in 2020. The protesting students advocated reform of the royal family, which shocked Thai society.
Anon is one of the leading figures in the wave of Thai student movements in 2020. She is the first pro-democracy activist to speak publicly about reforming the royal family during the protests, and has also personally participated in several demonstrations calling for royal reform.
The October 29 decision related to a 2020 demonstration outside Siam Commercial Bank’s headquarters in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, involving about 2,000 people. The protesters demanded that then-Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha step down, amend the constitution and reform the royal system.
The BBC reported that Anon, who played the protagonist in the film “Harry Potter”, gave a speech at the time that called for a public discussion of the power and wealth of the royal family, and criticized King Maha Vajiralongkorn for taking over large properties originally managed by the Crown Property Bureau (CPB) and important soldiers in the military.
The Bangkok Post reported that the court found that the testimony of prosecution witnesses was consistent and credible, and that the defense evidence presented by the defendant was insufficient to overturn the charges, and found that the defendant’s behavior exceeded the scope of freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution.
Thailand has the world’s most serious lèse majesté crime. Article 112 of the Penal Code states that whoever defames, insults or threatens the king, queen, young prince or ruler can be punished with up to 15 years in prison.
Summary FAQ
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During a demonstration outside Siam Commercial Bank’s headquarters in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district in 2020, he wore a Harry Potter costume and delivered a speech calling for public discussion of royal power and wealth. Therefore, he was tried and sentenced for lèse-majesté.
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The court originally sentenced each of the five defendants to 4 years in prison, but reduced the sentence by 1/3 because it determined that some of the statements were helpful at trial. The court ultimately reduced the sentence to 2 years and 8 months, without the possibility of probation. Anon’s cumulative sentence for other cases also increased to 38 years.
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Article 112 of the Thai Penal Code provides for a maximum sentence of 15 years for defaming, insulting or threatening the king, queen, prince or ruler. It is one of the most stringent relevant laws in the world and is therefore often considered an important tool to suppress dissent.
