A Thai court has denied bail to an activist lawyer who was recently sentenced to four years in prison for royal insults. Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, aged 39, gained widespread recognition for his bold speech during the 2020 pro-democracy protests, where he openly called for public discussion regarding the role of Thailand’s influential monarch. Arnon continues to maintain his innocence in the case.
The court’s decision, which came on Saturday, marks the first of 14 cases against Arnon, all of which allege violations of article 112 of the criminal code, known as the royal insults law. Arnon’s lawyer, Krisadang Nutcharus, explained that the bail request was rejected due to concerns that granting bail could lead to his client’s escape. Krisadang indicated that he would discuss with Arnon the possibility of making another bail request or appealing the decision to the Supreme Court.
Thailand’s lese-majeste law is designed to protect the monarchy from criticism and carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years for each perceived insult against the royal institution. This law has faced strong criticism from international human rights organizations for its severity.
Arnon played a significant role in the youth-led democracy movement that organized protests in Bangkok in 2020, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants who called for the removal of then-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a figure associated with royalist sentiments, who had taken power in a coup.
