BANGKOK (AFP): A Thai court has sentenced a 25-year-old activist to two years in prison for violating the country's strict royal insult law, a rights group said, with her lawyer on Tuesday vowing to appeal.
A criminal court convicted Tantawan Tuatulanon on Monday over a livestream she aired near a royal motorcade in March 2022, legal advocacy group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said in a statement.
The court found Tantawan intended to defame Thailand's highly revered monarchy when she questioned the conduct of police who dispersed farmers protesting along the route of King Maha Vajiralongkorn's motorcade in the capital Bangkok.
The court said she had insulted the monarchy on multiple occasions, showing her conduct was "not a good-faith exercise of rights", the group said.
Tantawan denied charges of breaching Thailand's strict lese-majeste law.
Her lawyer Khumklao Songsomboon told AFP that she would file an appeal, insisting on her client's innocence.
"This is simply an exercise of freedom of speech questioning the police's work and right to assembly," said Khumklao.
"We have fought this far and will definitely continue to do so."
Tantawan was granted bail pending her appeal, with a condition barring her from travelling abroad.
The court also fined her 600 baht ($18) for disobeying an official's order, according to TLHR.
Tantawan was previously detained over the same incident, on both occasions going on a hunger strike, the group said.
Tantawan and another activist were also arrested in 2024 for allegedly chasing the royal motorcade of the king's sister, Princess Sirindhorn, and were charged with sedition and computer crimes, with court proceedings still pending, lawyer Khumklao said.
Under Section 112 of Thailand's criminal code, anyone convicted of insulting, defaming or threatening the king or his family can face a prison sentence of up to 15 years per offence.
Legal observers and rights campaigners say the legislation is interpreted so broadly that it has become a tool to target dissent.
Nearly 300 people have been charged under lese-majeste since pro-democracy protests in 2020, according to TLHR.
The demonstrations saw tens of thousands of mostly young people take to the streets of the capital, some of whom openly criticised the monarchy. -- AFP
