The Criminal Court has refused to consider a request by a lese-majeste suspect who is seeking permission to travel abroad to attend meetings of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, lawyers say.
As part of her bail condition, Pimsiri Petchnamrob is not allowed to leave the country without obtaining permission from the court, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) said on Friday.
According to TLHR, Ms Pimsiri sought court permission on Feb 13 and Feb 24 to attend the meetings from Feb 27 to April 4 this year and her requests were rejected.
On March 8, she lodged an appeal against the rejection, but the court refused to consider it on the grounds that it had no jurisdiction in the matter.
Ms Pimsiri, a senior law student at Thammasat University, is a member of Article 19, an international organisation that advocates freedom of expression. She was indicted on several charges including royal defamation under Section 112 of the Criminal Code over her involvement in a rally in November 2020.
She was released on bail on condition that she would not engage in activities that damage the royal institution and would not leave the country without court permission.
According to data from TLHR to Feb 28 this year, 1,895 people have been prosecuted for political participation and expression since the beginning of the Free Youth pro-democracy protests in July 2020. At least 233 are facing lese-majeste charges and 128 have been charged with sedition.
Two young activists, Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon and Orawan “Bam” Phuphong, have been on a hunger strike since Jan 18 to press for bail for all political detainees, as well as abolition of the lese-majeste and sedition laws. They are currently in critical condition in Thammasat University Hospital.
The two women, aged 21 and 23, are facing charges under Section 112 for taking a public poll last year about royal motorcades.
