Pro-democracy activist Tanruthai “Pim” Tanrat charged with lèse-majesté for protest speech!

#BreakingNews🚨 Pro-democracy activist Tanruthai “Pim” Tanrat charged with lèse-majesté for protest speech #WhatsHappeningInThailand🇹🇭

Yesterday (August 7, 2023), Tanruthai “Pim” Tanrat, a pro-democracy and indigenous rights activist from the Mokeluang Rimnam group, was formally informed by the police of the first royal defamation charge against her, according to TLHR.

Pim was accused of “defaming the monarchy” for her speech at the protest on July 14, which was staged to call for the members of the parliament to vote for the prime minister in line with the people’s will. Pim denied the accusation and insisted that she had no intentions of defaming the King.

Similar to the royal defamation cases of many other activists, Pim’s charge was brought on by an ultra-royalist, as Thailand’s lèse-majesté law allows anyone to report a violation, and the law enforcement, as well as the courts, accept the majority of the cases.

“Article 112 (Thailand’s lèse-majesté law) should be abolished because it has been used to attack dissenters and does not protect anyone,” said Pim on the abuse of Article 112.

It has never been more evident than now - the period of pro-democracy uprising - that the lèse-majesté law is being used by the establishment and its supporters as a tool to harass and silence activists, who merely exercise their right to freedom of speech to demand TRUE democracy, radical change, and a fairer society.

Credit : « Pim » Tanruthai Thanrut

Photo Credit: THE STANDARD

#WeAreManushyan ♾️ Equal Human Beings

✊Manushya stands in solidarity with Pim, a brave member of our #YouthPowerDemocracy network, all pro-democracy activists facing judicial harassment, and everyone fighting for democracy in Thailand and Asia. We vehemently condemn the abuse of the lèse-majesté law, and we call on the Thai government to respect its international human rights obligations on the right to freedom of expression and information, laid down in Article 19 of the UDHR and ICCPR. It must also comply with the UPR recommendations on freedom of expression, including the revision of section 112, which it received during its 3rd UPR cycle.

References:

• TLHR, Pim - Tanruthai reported to the police for royal defamation charge after giving a speech about the King at July 14 protest, (August 7, 2023), available at: https://tlhr2014.com/archives/58117

#Abolish112 #Repeal112 #ปฏิรูปไม่เท่ากับล้มล้าง #ยกเลิก112 #ปฎิรูปสถาบันกษัตริย์ #RoyalDefamation #มาตรา112 #SaveThaiDemocracy #DemocracyNow #MilkTeaAlliance #WhatsHappeningInThailand #StopDigitalDictatorship #โมกหลวงริมน้ำ