{"id":5314,"date":"2021-01-04T09:31:33","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T09:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/humanrightsdefenders.blog\/?p=18954"},"modified":"2021-01-04T09:31:33","modified_gmt":"2021-01-04T09:31:33","slug":"new-year-new-charges-against-thai-protesters-the-lese-majesty-law-in-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/01\/04\/new-year-new-charges-against-thai-protesters-the-lese-majesty-law-in-thailand\/","title":{"rendered":"New Year, New Charges against Thai Protesters \u2013 the Lese-majesty law in Thailand"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
Thai authorities on 1 January 2021 made their 38th arrest of a pro-democracy activist in recent weeks under the country\u2019s tough l\u00e8se majest\u00e9 law as authorities crack down on the country\u2019s unprecedented protest movement. That law, Section 112 of the Thai criminal code, forbids defamation of the king and provides for three to 15 years\u2019 imprisonment for violations.The law had been dormant since King Maha Vajiralongkorn succeeded his father, King \u00a0Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016. The Thai government, though, is now using it to try to stamp out continuing protests calling for the government to resign, a new constitution and reform of the monarchy<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Thailand\u2019s authorities must stop targeting pro-democracy protesters with draconian legal action and instead enter into dialogue, according to the UN\u2019s special rapporteur for freedom of assembly, who warned the country risks sliding into violence. Cl\u00e9ment Voule<\/strong><\/span> said he had written to the Thai government to express alarm at the use of the fierce lese-majesty law against dozens of protesters, including students as young as 16.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cIt is legitimate for people to start discussing where their country is going and what kind of future they want<\/em>,\u201d Voule said of the protests. \u201cStopping people from raising their legitimate concerns is not acceptable.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n So far, 37 people face charges of insulting the monarchy for alleged offences ranging from wearing traditional dress deemed to be a parody of the royals to giving speeches arguing that the power and wealth of the king should be curbed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n