Thailand: A court punished a musician Chaiamorn Kaewwiboonpanto for allegedly insulting the monarchy on Monday.
The recent convictions are a result of the stringent lese-majeste laws, regarded as some of the most severe in the world.
Aiming to protect monarchy from criticism, Thailand’s lese-majeste carries the jail punishment up to the term of 15 years in each offence.
Under this stringent law, the musician has received prison sentence for burning King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s portrait.
As reported by Reuters, he was found guilty of arson, lese-majeste, and computer crimes.
Later, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), a legal aid group, also stated that Chaiamorn was pursuing bail and intended to appeal the verdict.
Chaiamorn asserts that he has not insulted the monarchy. He explains that the burning of the portrait was an act of defiance and a way to express his frustration with the lese-majeste charges.
The latest ruling arrives at a time when public dissent against the law is already high, following the death of Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom, who passed away during pre-trial detention under charges related to this law.
As per TLHR, she was on partial hunger strike.
However, the court has not yet issued an official statement, as the royal family typically refrains from commenting on lese-majeste cases.
