Publishing house Samanchon Books has been asked to remove posters calling for the repeal of the royal defamation law which they displayed in their stall at the annual National Book Fair, due to ‘concerns’ from the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, where the fair is taking place.

A new report by the CIVICUS Monitor rates civic space in Thailand as 'repressed,' as the royal defamation law continues to be used to criminalise dissent and spyware has been used against activists. Protesters were also prosecuted and faced excessive force while concerns remain about a restrictive NGO bill. 

<p>A 14-year-old girl became the youngest person to be charged with royal defamation after she received a police summons following a complaint filed against her by a royalist activist.</p>

<p>Activists Tantawan Tuatulanon and Orawan Phuphong, who are undergoing a hunger strike to demand the release of political prisoners and judicial reform, will continue their hunger strike until every political prisoner is released, said their lawyer during a press conference on Saturday (4 February).</p>

<p>A 29-year-old activist in Chiang Rai has been sentenced to 28 years in prison on royal defamation charges resulting from a number of Facebook posts about the monarchy. The Chiang Rai Provincial Court found him guilty on 14 counts.</p>

<p>Thailand should dismiss the case against 22 protest leaders charged with insulting the monarchy and a range of public order offences, and adhere to its international human rights obligations, the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) and TrialWatch Expert the Honourable Kevin Bell AM KC stated.</p>

<p>Run by a translator, a sociology lecturer, and the mother of an activist, and supported by protesters all over the country, the Will of the People Fund has been bailing out activists and protesters prosecuted for taking part in the pro-democracy movement.</p>

<p>Two high school students were detained for over 6 hours yesterday (27 December) for flashing three-finger salutes&nbsp;</p><p>at an intersection on a road that was closed ahead of King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida&rsquo;s royal motorcade, while a food delivery driver said he faced police surveillance during the King and Queen&#39;s visit to the province.</p>

<p>The Nonthaburi Juvenile and Family Court has found 19-year-old activist Thanakorn (last name withheld) guilty of royal defamation for giving a speech criticizing the monarchy during a protest on 10 September 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A new report published by the human rights group ARTICLE 19 has found that the Thai government&rsquo;s treatment of pro-democracy protesters violated their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including by exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic to enact repressive emergency measures and using the royal defamation law against protesters.</p>

<p>The Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Court has dismissed a defamation charge filed against art critic Pearamon Tulavardhana by Chiang Mai University lecturer Pongsiri Kiddee, who <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9491">sued Pearamon after she wrote an article criticizing an exhibition featuring his work</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A protester was arrested on Friday (25 November) and subsequently denied bail on a contempt of court charge resulting from a speech demanding bail for a detained activist.</p>