<p>For the past 9 months, the Criminal Court has been refusing to issue summonses for documents requested by lawyers representing activists charged with royal defamation for the 19 September 2020 protest to be used as evidence, delaying the witness examination process.</p>

<p>A man was sentenced on Friday (4 March 2022) to 3 years in prison on a royal defamation charge for putting a sticker on a portrait of King Vajiralongkorn in front of the Supreme Court during a protest on 19 September 2020.</p>

<p>Yesterday (22 November), the Criminal Court revoked bail for student activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul on charges arising from her participation in the <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8820">19 &ndash; 20 September 2020 protest</a>.</p>

<p>Student activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, who has been detained pending trial on a royal defamation charge, has been granted bail, while Siraphop Phumphuengphut, another student activist, has been denied bail and detained pending trial.</p>

<p>22 people facing charges relating to the protests on 19 &ndash; 20 September 2020, including 7 protest leaders facing lèse majesté charges, have withdrawn their legal representation in protest at court measures and treatment by prison officials which deny them the right to a fair and open trial. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The public prosecutor has yet to rule on whether to file a case against 18 people involved in the 19 &ndash; 20 September 2020 protests and has postponed the hearing to 8 March 2021; meanwhile four activists detained last week pending trial were once again denied bail.</p>