BANGKOK – The United Nations (UN) human rights experts spoke out against Thailand’s increasing use of a law forbidding criticism of its royal family.
The condemnation came after dozens of police cases have been filed against leaders of youth-led demonstrations that have broken taboos by openly criticizing the Thai king, risking prosecution under a strict law known as lese majeste which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
According to records compiled by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, at least 40 youth activists have been charged under the law since November last year.
“We are profoundly disturbed by the reported rise in the number of lese majeste prosecutions since late 2020 and the harsh prison sentences,” a group of seven UN special rapporteurs and members of a working committee on arbitrary detention said on Monday.
On December last year, the UN human rights office called on Thailand to amend the law.(Reuters)
