Newly elected Thai lawmaker sentenced to 6 years for defaming monarchy

A court in Thailand convicted and sentenced a recently elected lawmaker Wednesday to six years in prison for defaming the monarchy under a controversial law that guards the royal institution.
Human Rights Watch decried the ruling, saying it “violated her rights to freedom of expression protected under international human rights law.” Rukchanok Srinork arrived for her court hearing in the capital, Bangkok, as her fellow lawmakers were convening in Parliament.
“I submitted a request to postpone (the hearing) because today the new parliament convenes for its first session, but the court refused. So I came to hear the verdict,” she told reporters, standing next to her party leader who was there to lend support.
She was charged over two posts she allegedly shared two years ago on X.
Rukchanok was sentenced to three years on each count under Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code which protects the monarchy. She was also convicted under the Computer Crime Act, whose broad provisions covering online activities have been criticized as a threat to freedom of expression.