Parit Chiwarak, a prominent Thai pro-democracy activist known as “Penguin,” has been sentenced to two years in prison for violating Thailand’s strict royal defamation laws. The verdict, delivered on Wednesday, involves a social media post that included an insult beneath an inverted image of the king.
Chiwarak, 26, was convicted of infringing Thailand’s lese-majeste laws, which protect the monarchy and its close family members with severe penalties. The activist, who did not attend the court session in Bangkok, was one of the key figures in the youth-led pro-democracy protests that took place from 2020 to 2021, calling for significant reforms to the monarchy.
The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that Chiwarak is expected to face an additional 24 charges under the lese-majeste laws. The legislation is among the world’s strictest, with each offense potentially punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The government’s use of lese-majeste laws has drawn criticism from human rights advocates, who argue that the legislation is employed to stifle dissent and suppress opposition. Since 2020, over 270 individuals have been prosecuted under these laws, according to TLHR.
In related news, rights activist Netiporn Sanae-sangkhom, also facing royal defamation charges, recently died in custody while on a hunger strike. Netiporn had been detained in pre-trial detention since January, following charges linked to a royal motorcade protest in 2020. Her death has further intensified scrutiny of Thailand’s lese-majeste laws and their impact on political activism and human rights.
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