BANGKOK (AP) – Prosecutors in Thailand charged 18 pro-democracy activists on Monday with rioting while filing additional charges of insulting the monarchy against three of them.
The insurgency charge, which imposed a maximum sentence of up to seven years in prison, stemmed from a protest against the government in September, although information on the alleged offenses was not immediately clear.
The three charged with violating the Majesty Act, which prohibits criticism of senior members of the royal family, are Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, Jatupat Boonpattararaksa and Panupong Jadnok. A court denied bail to all three, and they were transferred to the jail.
Thai authorities have stepped up their legal offensive against those involved in a student-led protest movement demanding that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his government step down; the constitution must be amended to make it more democratic and the monarchy reformed to make it more accountable.
The latter claim is the most radical and controversial because the monarchy has rarely faced public scrutiny and is considered by many to be an inviolable pillar of Thai identity. Those convicted of violating the law against the criticism or insulting important royals are sentenced to 15 years in prison per offense.
The protest movement struck a chord among many Thais, but alienated others, especially royalists who were shocked by the criticism of the monarchy. The movement began to lose steam late last year due to differences between its factions and due to the revival of the coronavirus in Thailand.
Prosecutors last month charged four protest leaders with reading majesty and they were denied bail.
Jatupat, who was arrested in 2017 for violating the Majesty Act, said he and the other activists charged on Monday will continue to fight out of jail.
“The movement to the outside world will surely continue, no matter what happens,” he said.
Jatupat completed a nearly 250-kilometer hike from northeastern Thailand to Bangkok’s Democracy Monument on Sunday. Along the way, he campaigned and talked to people about Prayuth, amended the constitution and abolished the law of majesty.
According to the group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, at least 382 people, including 13 minors, were charged in connection with the protests, which gained momentum last summer. At least 60 of the people were charged with majesty.
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Associated Press author Bill Bredesen contributed to this report.