Thai Woman Released from 43-Year Royal Defamation Sentence

Bangkok, Aug 27 (AP) In a significant turn of events, a Thai woman, previously facing a prison term of over four decades due to charges of royal defamation, has been released under a royal pardon. This comes after she served just under one-fifth of her sentence, as revealed by a human rights organization.

According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, 69-year-old Anchan Preelert was one of six political prisoners released following a July 29 pardon commemorating King Maha Vajiralongkorn's birthday. Anchan, a former civil servant, had been sentenced in January 2021 by the Bangkok Criminal Court on 29 violations of the country's lese majeste law — stemming from her posting audio clips on Facebook and YouTube that contained comments deemed critical of the monarchy.

Initially handed an unprecedented sentence of 87 years, her jail term was halved to 43 years and six months following her guilty plea. Violations of Thailand’s royal defamation law can result in imprisonment ranging from three to 15 years per count. The law has faced controversy for its broad application, which includes instances as minor as liking a post on Facebook. Critically, anyone, not just royals or authorities, can file a complaint. Many argue that the law is used as a tool to suppress political dissent.

Anchan, clad in a white t-shirt and face mask, was warmly received by friends and family, along with supporters who presented her with bouquets when she exited Bangkok's Central Women's Correctional Institution. She had spent eight years and four months there, including her pretrial detention since her 2015 arrest. "I feel immensely happy. I want to be free for a long time because I’m getting old, and my time is running short now," Anchan expressed to reporters. "For over eight years, it felt like it was all my life; it was bitter because it was not my place to be. It was torturous; it doesn't matter whether it's comfortable or not, but it isn't my home." Thai Lawyers for Human Rights noted that over 270 people have been charged with lese majeste since the surge of protests demanding monarchy reforms in early 2020.

In 2024, an appeals court sentenced political activist Mongkhon Thirakot from Chiang Rai to a record 50-year prison term upon his conviction under the lese majeste law. Public criticism of the monarchy, crucial to Thailand's national identity, was once scarce. However, student-driven pro-democracy protests in 2020 began to defy this norm, leading to increased legal action under what was once an infrequently applied law.

Currently, more than 50 individuals remain in custody as political prisoners, with 32 facing charges related to insulting or defaming the monarchy, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Just last week, Thailand's ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was acquitted of royal defamation by the Bangkok Criminal Court, which found insufficient evidence to uphold a conviction. He had faced charges from 2016 over remarks made the previous year to South Korean journalists.

On Tuesday, the same court acquitted Piyarat Chongthep, an opposition People's Party lawmaker, of royal defamation. This was linked to his posts criticizing the handling of 2020 protests and alleged royal involvement. The court stated that clear evidence was lacking to prove he personally posted the messages on his Facebook account. (AP)

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