Thailand has sentenced a woman to 43 years in prison on grounds of violating the lese-majeste law.
Thailand has sentenced a woman to 43 years in prison on grounds of violating the lese-majeste law.
The Bangkok Criminal Court delivered the longest prison sentence yet on lese-majeste charges, to a 65-year-old, known as Anchan.
Anchan, a former civil servant, was arrested in 2015 for sharing posts online found to be critical of the monarchy.
Anchan originally received 87 years based on 29 lese-majeste charges but was later halved when she entered a guilty plea.
Pawinee Chumsri, Anchan’s lawyer said, “This is the highest prison sentence ever in a lese majeste case.”
Anyone convicted under the defamation law could face a 15-year prison sentence.
This, after recent youth-led demonstrations for the abolition of the law led to arrests, with protesters facing similar charges.