Repeated criminalisation of Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa
On 27 March 2025, Arnon Nampa received an additional two-year sentence for lèse-majesté (defamation of or offence against a monarch) in connection with a speech delivered in Chiang Mai, a northern province in Thailand, in November 2020. This is the seventh lèse-majesté conviction Arnon Nampa has been sentenced for, increasing his cumulative prison term to 22 years, 1 month, and 20 days. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), he has been held in detention since 26 September 2023, with appeals against all convictions currently pending. In 2024 alone, he submitted at least 41 bail requests, all of which were denied.
On 19 December 2024, Arnon Nampa received another sentence of two years and eight months for lèse-majesté and sedition. This sentence refers to his speech at a protest at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument in August 2020.
On 3 December 2024, Arnon Nampa was sentenced to two years in prison for violating Thailand’s lèse-majesté law (Section 112 of the Criminal Code) and the Computer Crime Act. This conviction is based on an open letter he published in November 2020, which was addressed to King Vajiralongkorn.
On 25 July 2024, Arnon Nampa was sentenced to additional four years in prison under the lèse-majesté law and the Computer Crime Act. The sentence is a based on two social media posts from January and February 2021. In these posts, Arnon Nampa criticises the royal institution, which is considered a criminal offence in Thailand.
On 17 January 2024, Arnon Nampa was sentenced to another four years in prison for lèse-majesté and Computer Crime Act violations referring to three Facebook posts on 1 and 3 January 2021. In the posts, he questioned why criticising the royal institution is criminalised and condemned the severe penalties for expressing such views. The Court considered the posts a defamation and insult of the monarchy, which constitutes a criminal offence under Thailand’s lèse-majesté law (Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code). As the content was disseminated online, he was also charged under the Computer Crime Act for publishing information that authorities deemed illegal due to its violation of lèse-majesté and harmful to national security and public order.
On 26 September 2023, the Bangkok Criminal Court sentenced Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa to four years in prison, his first conviction and sentencing for criticising the royal institution. The Court cites Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, which prohibits lèse-majesté. The charges refer to a speech on 14 October 2020 at a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration in which Arnon Nampa called for a reform of the monarchy.
On 22 February 2022, Arnon Nampa was conditionally released on bail after being detained for 203 days during his most recent period of imprisonment, which was part of a total of 337 days in detention between 2020 and 2022 without trial. However, the conditions of his release effectively prevent him from continuing his activism and restrict his freedom of movement. The conditions include a nightly curfew, requiring him to stay at home from 21:00 to 06:00. In addition, he must wear an electronic monitoring device. Thai human rights defenders widely consider the imposition of these conditions as an effort by the authorities to prevent Arnon Nampa from defending human rights and criticising the Thai monarchy.
On 7 October 2021, Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa was remanded in custody by Thai authorities on charges related to lèse-majesté (Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code) and other associated offences, including incitement (Section 116). The charges refer to Arnon Nampa’s public demand for a national conversation about the monarchy's role in Thailand’s democracy, criticising the excessive royal prerogatives, and calling for constitutional reforms. The Court denied Arnon Nampa’s bail.
On 11 August 2021, the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court reviewed and granted the detention request submitted by the police for Arnon Nampa via video conference and denied bail for the Thai human rights lawyer. The court cited the severity of the charges, the high penalties involved, and concerns that if released, Arnon Nampa might commit further offences or violate bail conditions. In addition, the Court also rejected appeals citing his health or risk of harm in detention as insufficient grounds for bail.
On 3 September 2020, the Criminal Court in Bangkok revoked bail granted to human rights defender Arnon Nampa.
On 9 August 2020, human rights defender and pro-democracy activist Arnon Nampa was granted conditional bail by the Bangkok Criminal Court.
On 7 August 2020, human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa was arrested from his home in Bangkok. The arrest was made following his participation in a peaceful gathering on 18 July 2020. The human rights defenderis being charged under eight different articles, including sedition and breaching the Emergency Decree. At the time of writing, Arnon Nampa remains in the custody of the Bangkok Criminal Court.
Arnon Nampa is a human rights lawyer and volunteers his legal expertise with the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR). TLHR was established in 2014 to provide legal assistance to alleged violators of lèse-majesté and human rights defenders targeted by the authorities following the military coup of 22 May 2014. TLHR received a human rights award from the French Embassy in Bangkok in December 2014 for its work. Arnon Nampa has defended numerous individuals,, including the cases of several imprisoned human rights defenders, accused of lèse-majesté under Article 112 of the Criminal Code which, in broad terms, prohibits insulting the monarchy.
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- 2 April 2025 : Repeated criminalisation of Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa
- 23 December 2024 : Arnon Nampa sentenced to additional prison time for speech at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument and courtroom protest
- 5 December 2024 : Arnon Nampa sentenced to two years in prison for open letter calling for monarchy reform
- 27 July 2024 : Arnon Nampa receives an additional four-year prison sentence
- 22 January 2024 : Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa sentenced to another four years imprisonment for online posts calling for monarchy reforms
- 29 September 2023 : Imprisonment for peaceful expression during 2020 pro-democracy protest
- 27 February 2022 : Arnon Nampa released on bail, with restrictive conditions
- 15 October 2021 : Remanded in custody under lèse-majesté
- 21 August 2021 : Court denies bail for human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa citing severity of lèse-majesté charges
- 4 September 2020 : Arnon Nampa’s bail revoked
- 11 August 2020 : Arnon Nampa released on conditional bail
- 7 August 2020 : Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa arrested and charged
On 27 March 2025, Arnon Nampa received an additional two-year sentence for lèse-majesté (defamation of or offence against a monarch) in connection with a speech delivered in Chiang Mai, a northern province in Thailand, in November 2020. This is the seventh lèse-majesté conviction Arnon Nampa has been sentenced for, increasing his cumulative prison term to 22 years, 1 month, and 20 days. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), he has been held in detention since 26 September 2023, with appeals against all convictions currently pending. In 2024 alone, he submitted at least 41 bail requests, all of which were denied.
On 19 December 2024, Arnon Nampa received another sentence of two years and eight months for lèse-majesté and sedition. This sentence refers to his speech at a protest at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument in August 2020.
During a hearing related to this case on 28 March 2024, Arnon Nampa was also found guilty of contempt of court for protesting the judge’s refusal to issue subpoenas for evidence that could support the truthfulness of his statements. In protest, he removed his shirt in the courtroom. The Court sentenced him to six additional months in prison for this act.
If convicted in all of his lèse-majesté cases, Arnon Nampa faces up to 140 years in prison.
The repeated detentions, multiple convictions, and bail denials reflect a broader pattern of judicial harassment against Arnon Nampa and other activists advocating for democratic reforms and freedom of expression in Thailand.
On 3 December 2024, Arnon Nampa was sentenced to two years in prison for violating Thailand’s lèse-majesté law (Section 112 of the Criminal Code) and the Computer Crime Act. This conviction is based on an open letter he published in November 2020, which was addressed to King Vajiralongkorn.
In the open letter, Arnon Nampa called for reforms to the monarchy and questioned the role and conduct of the royal institution in Thailand’s political system. He urged the King to listen to the voices of the people and to consider constitutional changes that would make the monarchy more accountable and compatible with democratic principles. The letter was widely circulated on social media and became a focal point for public debates about royal reforms.
The Thai authorities charged Arnon Nampa with lèse-majesté, alleging that the content of the letter defamed, insulted, or threatened the King. As the letter was published online, he was also prosecuted under the Computer Crime Act for disseminating information deemed illegal and harmful to national security.
On 25 July 2024, Arnon Nampa was sentenced to additional four years in prison under the lèse-majesté law and the Computer Crime Act. The sentence is a based on two social media posts from January and February 2021. In these posts, Arnon Nampa criticises the royal institution, which is considered a criminal offence in Thailand.
Earlier, on 29 April 2024, he was sentenced to 2 years and 20 days in prison and fined 100 baht for lèse-majesté, violating the Emergency Decree, and other offences related to a protest held outside the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre in August 2021. The two sentences increase Arnon Nampa’s total prison time to 14 years and twenty days.
On 17 January 2024, Arnon Nampa was sentenced to another four years in prison for lèse-majesté and Computer Crime Act violations referring to three Facebook posts on 1 and 3 January 2021. In the posts, he questioned why criticising the royal institution is criminalised and condemned the severe penalties for expressing such views. The Court considered the posts a defamation and insult of the monarchy, which constitutes a criminal offence under Thailand’s lèse-majesté law (Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code). As the content was disseminated online, he was also charged under the Computer Crime Act for publishing information that authorities deemed illegal due to its violation of lèse-majesté and harmful to national security and public order.
At the time of this verdict, Arnon Nampa had already been sentenced in a previous case. The addition of this four-year sentence brought his cumulative prison term to eight years, marking a significant escalation in the legal actions taken against him. This conviction underscores the Thai government's excessive use of Section 112 and the Computer Crime Act to silence dissent and restrict freedom of expression, especially among prominent figures in the pro-democracy movement.
On 26 September 2023, the Bangkok Criminal Court sentenced Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa to four years in prison, his first conviction and sentencing for criticising the royal institution. The Court cites Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, which prohibits lèse-majesté. The charges refer to a speech on 14 October 2020 at a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration in which Arnon Nampa called for a reform of the monarchy.
On 22 February 2022, Arnon Nampa was conditionally released on bail after being detained for 203 days during his most recent period of imprisonment, which was part of a total of 337 days in detention between 2020 and 2022 without trial. However, the conditions of his release effectively prevent him from continuing his activism and restrict his freedom of movement. The conditions include a nightly curfew, requiring him to stay at home from 21:00 to 06:00. In addition, he must wear an electronic monitoring device. Thai human rights defenders widely consider the imposition of these conditions as an effort by the authorities to prevent Arnon Nampa from defending human rights and criticising the Thai monarchy.
On 7 October 2021, Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa was remanded in custody by Thai authorities on charges related to lèse-majesté (Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code) and other associated offences, including incitement (Section 116). The charges refer to Arnon Nampa’s public demand for a national conversation about the monarchy's role in Thailand’s democracy, criticising the excessive royal prerogatives, and calling for constitutional reforms. The Court denied Arnon Nampa’s bail.
On 11 August 2021, the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court reviewed and granted the detention request submitted by the police for Arnon Nampa via video conference and denied bail for the Thai human rights lawyer. The court cited the severity of the charges, the high penalties involved, and concerns that if released, Arnon Nampa might commit further offences or violate bail conditions. In addition, the Court also rejected appeals citing his health or risk of harm in detention as insufficient grounds for bail.
Arnon Nampa was formally charged and interrogated by the authorities and subsequently detained at Pathumwan Police Station.
Arnon Nampa's detention was part of a broader crackdown on the youth-led pro-democracy movement, which has gained momentum since mid-2020. The movement’s central demand is the structural reform of the military, the constitution, and royal and political institution. The detention of the Thai human rights lawyer is emblematic of the widespread repression aimed at silencing activists and human rights defenders criticising the Thai monarchy. Front Line Defenders is highly concerned over the ongoing of human rights defenders and the shrinking space for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Thailand.
On 3 September 2020, the Criminal Court in Bangkok revoked bail granted to human rights defender Arnon Nampa. The defender was granted a conditional bail on 9 August 2020, for charges including sedition arising from his participation in a series of demonstrations over the past several months. He is currently being held at the Bangkok Remand Prison.
On 9 August 2020, human rights defender and pro-democracy activist Arnon Nampa was granted conditional bail by the Bangkok Criminal Court. The defender was arrested on 7 August 2020 after his participation in a series of demonstrations demanding political reform and a new constitution.
On 7 August 2020, human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa was arrested from his home in Bangkok. The arrest was made following his participation in a peaceful gathering on 18 July 2020. The human rights defenderis being charged under eight different articles, including sedition and breaching the Emergency Decree. At the time of writing, Arnon Nampa remains in the custody of the Bangkok Criminal Court.
Arnon Nampa is a human rights lawyer and volunteers his legal expertise with the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR). TLHR was established in 2014 to provide legal assistance to alleged violators of lèse-majesté and human rights defenders targeted by the authorities following the military coup of 22 May 2014. TLHR received a human rights award from the French Embassy in Bangkok in December 2014 for its work. Arnon Nampa has defended numerous individuals,, including the cases of several imprisoned human rights defenders, accused of lèse-majesté under Article 112 of the Criminal Code which, in broad terms, prohibits insulting the monarchy.
On 7 August 2020, police arrested Arnon Nampa at his home in Bangkok. The defender is being charged with sedition under Article 116 of the Criminal code; assembly with the intent of committing an act of violence, and obstructing public way, under Articles 215 and 385 of the Penal code; offence against the regulations on assembly under the Emergency Decree; obstructing traffic, under Article 114 under the Land Traffic Act; use of an amplifier without permission, under Article 4 of the Control of the Use of Amplifier law; placing objects on the road, under Article 19 of the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness Act; and participating in the acts that increase the risk for infection, under Article 34 of the Communicable Disease Act.
The arrest was made in response to a peaceful gathering that Arnon Nampa participated in on 18 July 2020, at the Democracy Monument in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok with the Free Youth Movement. The defender is one of the several accused named in the case, which has led human rights defenders in the region to believe that Arnon Nampa’s arrest forms part of a wider crackdown on pro-democracy activists, and so they fear further arrests in the coming days. Prior to his arrest, Arnon Nampa had announced that he would join a gathering in Chiang Mai on 9 August to deliver a speech entitled “The Invasive Power of the Monarchy against Democratic Principles”. He was also due to participate in a similar gathering the following day, on 10 August, at the Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.
Front Line Defenders condemns the arrest of Arnon Nampa and the charges against him, as it believes he is being targeted for his legitimate and peaceful work for the protection of human rights, specifically on democratisation in Thailand. Front Line Defenders further expresses grave concern about the escalation in judicial harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders advocating for democracy and human rights in the country.
