BANGKOK: Four Thai activists on Tuesday denied insulting the king as the first cases stemming from last year’s street demonstrations demanding reforms to the monarchy went to court.
The protesters broke traditional taboos by criticising King Maha Vajiralongkorn, risking prosecution under lese majeste laws which make insulting or defamation of the royal family a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
At least 58 activists have been charged under royal insult laws since November, according to records compiled the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group, but the two cases on Tuesday were the first to go to court.
Parit Chiwarak, Arnon Nampa, Patiwat Saraiyam and Somyot Pruksakasemsuk denied lese majeste and 10 other charges including sedition during a protest on Sept. 19 near the royal palace in Bangkok, Prayuth Petchkun, deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General, told reporters.
Parit also denied three charges including lese majeste and sedition during another protest on Nov. 14.
“The prosecution against us is using the law to block our freedom of expression,” Parit told reporters.
The trials are scheduled to start next month.
U.N. human rights experts on Monday condemned the rising number of lese majeste cases in Thailand, including a 43-year jail sentence, the harshest punishment yet, against an elderly woman last month.
Thailand briefly stopped using the lese majeste law in 2018 but police started to invoke it again in November after protesters began openly criticizing the monarchy.
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