43 years’ jail for insulting royals

Outrage: Anchan speaking to reporters after arriving at the court in Bangkok. — Reuters

A COURT sentenced a 65-year-old woman to more than 43 years in jail for sharing online posts criticising the royal family, her lawyer said, the country’s harshest ever sentence for insulting the monarchy.

Her sentence comes at a time of unprecedented youth-led demonstrations in which protest leaders have openly criticised the monarchy, risking prosecution under Thailand’s strict law known as lese majeste, which carries a 15-year penalty for each violation.