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Protesters Clash With Police Over 15 Year-Old Girl Detained for Lese Majeste in Thailand
On March 28, 2023, police detained Thanalop “Yok” Phalanchai, 15, in Bangkok and charged her with lese-majeste (insulting the monarchy) offences for criticizing the monarchy during a rally in front of Bangkok City Hall in October 2022.
Protesters at the gathering demanded the release of political inmates and the termination of royal defamation trials. Thanalop is being kept in pre-trial custody at the Justice Ministry’s Ban Pranee Juvenile Vocational Training Centre for Girls in Nakhon Pathom province, west of Bangkok, for allegedly breaking Thai penal code article 112, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
On Wednesday, nine individuals were arrested following a violent clash between police and a crowd formed in favour of a 15-year-old girl who has been held for more than 40 days on a royal defamation accusation.
Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon and Orawan “Bam” Phuphong were among the seven men and two women arrested, who earlier this year staged a 52-day hunger strike to demand the release of political prisoners and the repeal of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese-majeste statute.
Protesters began congregating at 4 p.m. near the Samran Rat police station in Phra Nakhon district. They wanted to speak with those in authority after discovering that authorities from the station were planning to prosecute Thanalop or “Yok” with defacing an archaeological site.
After two hours of waiting, the demonstrators splashed and splattered red paint on the walls and steps of the station, as well as police cars and a poster depicting national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas. A protester also shattered a glass door at the station.
To keep the situation under control, over 50 crowd control officers were sent. Officers armed with riot shields gathered, and a standoff began before some pushing and shoving erupted into a battle. In three separate police vans, nine persons were brought away, some pulled by their arms and legs. According to late reports from the scene, they were being held at three different police stations.
The incident occurs as a court prepares to rule on whether Yok can be imprisoned for another 15 days on Friday.
The adolescent was apprehended on March 28, the same day a 24-year-old male was found spray-painting a “No 112” statement on the wall of Bangkok’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha. He is charged with defacing an archaeological site, and a charge of lese-majeste was added subsequently.
At the time, police stated they obtained a warrant to arrest Thanalop, who was suspected of disrespecting the monarchy during a gathering in front of Bangkok City Hall in October 2022. She was 14 years old at the time. Protesters at the event demanded the release of political detainees as well as the repeal of royal defamation prosecutions.
Thanalop was imprisoned overnight at the Samran Rat station before appearing the next day in juvenile and family court, where she refused to recognize the proceedings, sitting with her back to the judge.
The judge then ordered her custody at the Ban Pranee Juvenile Vocational Training Centre for Girls in Nakhon Pathom, where she is still detained today.
A youngster must be freed from jail if the prosecutor does not bring charges or request a postponement within 30 days, according to the Juvenile and Family Court Procedure Act. In Thanalop’s case, the prosecution sought that she be detained for an extra 15 days in late April, and the court agreed.
According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), the legislation provides for up to four 15-day postponements in circumstances where the offence entails a jail sentence of more than five years.
People convicted of lese-majeste face prison sentences ranging from 3 to 15 years. Multiple-offense sentences can be combined.
Since the start of the Free Youth pro-democracy protests in July 2020, 1,902 persons have been prosecuted for political participation and expression, according to TLHR data up to April 30 this year. At least 242 people have been accused with lese majeste, and 130 have been charged with sedition.
Lese majeste refers to the crime of insulting or defaming the monarchy, which is considered a serious offense in Thailand. The country’s lese majeste law, also known as Article 112 of the Criminal Code, imposes harsh penalties, including imprisonment, fines, and other sanctions, for those found guilty of violating it.
In recent years, there has been controversy surrounding the use of Thailand’s lese majeste law, with critics arguing that it is often used to stifle free speech and political dissent. There have been numerous cases of individuals, including activists, journalists, and social media users, being charged and convicted under the law.
In November 2020, Thailand’s parliament voted to amend the lese majeste law, reducing the maximum sentence from 15 years to 10 years. However, the law remains a contentious issue in the country, and its enforcement continues to be a subject of debate among human rights groups and political activists.
