HRF strongly condemns the Thanyaburi Provincial Court’s sentencing of 77-year-old Chiraphon Butpaket to one year and six months in prison under the royal defamation law (Article 112) for her speech at a 2023 protest. HRF calls on Thailand to end the use of Article 112 to silence dissent.
Chiraphon’s charge stems from her participation in a peaceful protest in 2023, where she gave a three-finger salute and spoke critically about past coups, raising concerns about the king’s role in endorsing them.
Chiraphon is believed to be the oldest person prosecuted under the royal defamation law since Thailand’s youth-led pro-democracy protests in 2020. She received a two-year suspended sentence, one year on probation, and must participate in a dhamma training program.
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