Bangkok police say over 1,000 officers to be deployed at MBK Skywalk rally today

United Nations human rights experts are speaking out against Thailand’s “severe” use of the lèse majesté law, saying the law is used to “curtail criticism of the monarchy” and it has no place in a democratic country.

There has been an increase in the use of the lèse majesté law since the rise of the student-led pro-democracy movement last year. Recently, a woman was sentenced to more than 43 years in prison for insulting the royal family. UN human rights experts wrote in a news release that they are “alarmed” by the harsh punishment.

Last month, the Bangkok Criminal Court sentenced the 60 year old former public official to more than 4 decades in prison for violating the country’s draconian lèse majesté law. Anchan Preelert had posted audio clips on Facebook and YouTube of a man making comments that are considered to be critical of the Thai Monarchy.

The lèse…