Activist and lawyer Arnon Nampa has been given a four-year prison sentence by the Criminal Court.
Arnon was charged with violating the lèse-majesté law under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act. This decision comes after 39 year old Arnon was found guilty of defaming the monarchy, a crime carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years.
Arnon, once a prominent co-leader of a youth-led democracy movement, gained notoriety for leading mass protests in Bangkok in 2020. The rallies saw hundreds of thousands demanding the ousting of then-Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who had seized power in a coup.
The courtroom drama unfolded as prosecutors presented evidence that Arnon, on January 1, 2021, posted three messages on his Facebook account, allegedly distorting information with the sinister intent of insulting the royal institution.
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