UN experts on Friday voiced concern over ongoing judicial proceedings against Thai human rights defender Pimsiri Petchnamrob, urging the Thai government to drop all charges against her and other human rights defenders involved in pro-democracy protests. The experts also urged authorities to revise and repeal lèse-majesté laws, as they restrict freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The experts reiterated their previous call to amend and abolish the laws for creating an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship. They stated, “Public figures, including the highest political authorities, are legitimately subject to criticism,” emphasizing that the state must protect civil society and human rights without criminalizing their work.
Pimsiri Petchnamrob is a prominent Thai human rights activist and equality advocate. She was charged on 10 counts, including insulting the monarch, inciting insurrection, and illegal assemblies, in 2021, stemming from a speech she delivered during a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration in Bangkok in November 2020. During her address, she referenced a 2017 statement by a UN special rapporteur criticizing Thailand’s lèse-majesté law. In the past, courts have rejected Petnamrob’s requests to travel abroad, while the charges have led to restrictions such as bail and a ban on traveling abroad without court permission.
The lèse-majesté law is found in Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code. It specifically states, “Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years.” The law does not clearly define what amounts to an insult to the monarchy, creating space for significant discretion in how it is applied—a point often raised by critics.
Proceedings against Pimsiri Petchnamrob have also drawn a response from international human rights organizations. The World Organisation Against Torture noted that Pimsiri’s case reflects a “worrying trend of silencing peaceful dissent,” while the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) emphasized that the prosecution appears to be solely linked to her legitimate human rights work. Both organizations called for the charges to be dropped, describing the proceedings as an abuse of judicial processes aimed at suppressing freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
From November 2020 to mid-June 2025, at least 280 people were charged under lèse-majesté law, some of them are currently in custody awaiting trial or appeal, while 14 are already serving prison sentences. Some of the activists have been convicted under Article 112 several times and therefore have to serve longer prison terms. While Thailand is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and is obliged to uphold international standards on freedom of expression, this legal provision raises concerns over its compatibility with those obligations.
No comments:
Post a Comment