A Thai court has extended the combined prison sentence of prominent lawyer Arnon Nampa to over 31 years for royal insult convictions. The 41-year-old activist, who rose to prominence during 2020 youth-led protests demanding constitutional and monarchy reform, has been jailed since 2023 on multiple lese majeste charges linked to the demonstrations and his social media posts.
Thailand's strict lese majeste laws carry penalties of up to 15 years per offense, which critics argue are used to suppress dissent. Arnon Nampa was recently sentenced to two years and eight months for royal insult and violating a COVID-19 emergency decree. The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights organization confirmed his total sentence now stands at 31 years and nine months, with three additional royal defamation cases pending.
Since 2020, at least 289 individuals have been charged under these laws. This case follows recent sentences, including a man jailed for 50 years for social media posts deemed insulting to the king, and another clothing vendor receiving a 50-year sentence for similar online content.