One of Thailand's most prominent pro-democracy activists was handed another two years and eight months in prison for criticising the monarchy during a Harry Potter-themed protest.
Arnon Nampa, the 40-year-old lawyer and poet, was found guilty on Thursday of defaming King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a speech during a Bangkok protest rally in August 2020 under the controversial lese-majeste law.
He was among the first people to publically demand reform of the Thai monarchy as part of the pro-democracy movement in 2020, which saw thousands of young citizens pouring onto the streets in protest.
This was Arnon Nampa's sixth lese-majeste conviction, bringing his cumulative prison sentence to almost 18 years and 11 months. He faces a total of 14 cases under the lese-majeste law which protects the monarchy from criticism and carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
Critics have accused the government of enforcing the controversial law to throttle dissent since the Thai military took power in a 2014 coup.
Prosecutors on Thursday argued that Arnon Nampa, as the head of the Ratsadon group, had posted a Facebook message calling on anti-government protesters to gather at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument for a protest named: "Harry Potter VS You Know Who or He Who Must Not Be Named", The Nation reported.
Shortly after the protest, where Arnon Nampa was seen donning a cloak to look like Harry Potter, a government official filed a police complaint accusing him of slandering the monarchy.
Arnon Nampa thanked his lawyers and members of the public who had come to the court to show their support before he was escorted away by corrections department officials.
PEN America on Thursday called for Arnon Nampa's immediate release and an end to the lese-majeste law. "Nampa’s speeches, letters, and poems have inspired countless other Thai citizens to envision a more just and equitable society, making his imprisonment a broader assault on the right to free expression for all people in Thailand," the group said in a statement.
"International partners of Thailand must pressure the Thai government to uphold its obligations under international human rights law, including the protection of free expression."
Arnon Nampa was awarded the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights by a South Korean foundation for his pro-democracy work in 2021.
During his first sentencing in September last year, he said that the “loss of personal freedom is a sacrifice I’m willing to make” that will be worth it in years to come.
