Thailand: Arbitrary detention, conviction and sentencing of seven pro-democracy activists

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Thailand.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed about the conviction, sentencing, and arbitrary detention of seven pro-democracy activists, namely Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa, Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat, Ekachai Hongkangwan, Boonkueanoon “Francis” Paothong, Suranat Panprasert, and two other activists.

On 3 September 2025, the Court of Appeals Region 3 in Nakhon Ratchasima Province upheld the conviction of Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa and Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat by the Phu Khiao Provincial Court’s in Chaiyaphum Province under Article 112 of the Criminal Code (“lèse-majesté").1 The Court of Appeals upheld their prison sentences of three and two years, respectively. The Court concluded that although the defendants did not explicitly name the King in their speeches, their remarks implicitly referred to both the late King Rama IX and the reigning King Rama X. The ruling established that Article 112 covered defamation not only against the reigning monarch, but also against previous kings. Furthermore, the Court determined that protection under Article 112 extended to the monarchy as an institution, not solely to the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent, or the Regent.

On 5 September 2025, Thailand’s Supreme Court rejected bail applications for Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa and Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat, citing the seriousness of the charges and the risk of flight. The defenders’ legal team had sought their temporary release on bail by increasing the deposit from 300,000 baht (approximately 8,000 euros) to 700,000 baht (approximately 18,500 euros). At the time of publication of this urgent alert, both defenders remain detained at Phu Khiao District Prison in Chaiyaphum Province.

Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa and Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat were charged under multiple legal provisions, including Articles 112 and 116 (“sedition”), in relation to speeches they made at a peaceful protest in front of the Phu Khiao Police Station and Phu Khiao School, Chaiyaphum Province, on 1 February 2021. In September 2024, the Phu Khiao Provincial Court found them guilty of “lèse-majesté” and dismissed the other charges. They were sentenced to prison terms of three and two years, respectively, and granted temporary release on bail by the Court.

In a separate case, on 5 September 2025, the Court of Appeals in Bangkok overturned the Bangkok Criminal Court’s 2023 acquittal of Ekachai Hongkangwan, Boonkueanoon “Francis” Paothong, Suranat Panprasert, and two other individuals. The Court ruled that the five defenders were guilty under Articles 1102 (“violence against the Queen’s liberty”), 2153 (“illegal assembly”), and 3854 (“obstructing traffic”) of the Thai Criminal Code. Ekachai Hongkangwan received a sentence of 21 years and four months in prison. The other four defendants, including Boonkueanoon “Francis” Paothong and Suranat Panprasert, were sentenced to 16 years in prison each.

The charges stemmed from the presence of the five defenders among a crowd of peaceful protesters in the vicinity of the royal motorcade near Government House in Bangkok on 14 October 2020.The Court of Appeals argued that the defendants had knowingly obstructed the royal motorcade, overturning the Criminal Court’s acquittal of the five of 28 June 2023. The Criminal Court had found that the incident resulted from a misunderstanding between all parties involved, and by the police’s failure to properly manage the motorcade’s route and to alert the protesters.

Following the Court of Appeals’ verdict, on 8 September 2025, the Supreme Court denied bail for all of the five pro-democracy activists. The Court cited the seriousness of the charges and the risk of flight if released. All five pro-democracy activists are currently detained in the Bangkok Remand Prison.

The Observatory notes with concern that between 19 November 2020 and 1 September 2025, 284 people, including many human rights defenders and 20 minors, were charged under Article 112 of the Criminal Code. Eighteen are currently detained pending trial or appeal, and 11 more are serving prison sentences. On 14 May 2024, youth activist Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom, who was arbitrarily held in pre-trial detention under “lèse-majesté” charges, died in custody after a prolonged hunger strike that had ended in April 2024.

The Observatory strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of the seven pro-democracy activists, and the verdicts of the Court of Appeals Region 3 upholding the conviction and prison sentence against Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa and Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat and the Court of Appeals’ verdict reverting the acquittal of Ekachai Hongkangwan, Boonkueanoon “Francis” Paothong, Suranat Panprasert, and the two other defendants. These actions appear to be solely aimed at punishing them for their legitimate human rights activities and the exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The Observatory calls on the Thai authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all the seven pro-democracy activists and put an end to all forms of judicial harassment against them and all pro-democracy activists currently prosecuted.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of Thailand asking them to:

1. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical integrity and psychological well-being of Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa, Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat, Ekachai Hongkangwan, Boonkueanoon “Francis” Paothong, Suranat Panprasert, the two other individuals and all other human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists in Thailand;
2. Immediately and unconditionally release Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa, Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat, Ekachai Hongkangwan, Boonkueanoon “Francis” Paothong, Suranat Panprasert, the two other individuals and all other detained human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists, whose detention appears to be solely aimed at punishing them for their legitimate human rights activities;
3. Quash the convictions against Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa, Atthapon “Kru Yai” Buapat, Ekachai Hongkangwan, Boonkueanoon “Francis” Paothong, Suranat Panprasert, and the two other individuals, cease all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against them and all other human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists in the country, and ensure that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without any hindrance and fear of reprisals;
4. Guarantee in all circumstances the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly, as enshrined in international human rights law, and particularly in Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Thailand is a state party;
5. Refrain from using Articles 110 and 112 of the Criminal Code to target human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists.

Addresses:

• Mr Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand, Email: spmwebsite@thaigov.go.th
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Email: minister@mfa.go.th
• Minister of Justice of Thailand, Email: complainingcenter@moj.go.th
• General Pana Klaewplodthuk, Commander in Chief of the Army, Email: webadmin@rta.mi.th
• Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet, Commissioner-General of the Police, Email: info@royalthaipolice.go.th
• Ms Pornprapai Ganjanarinte, National Human Rights Commissioner of Thailand, Email: help@nhrc.or.th, info@nhrc.co.th
• H.E. Ms. Usana Berananda, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Email: thaimission.GVA@mfa.mail.go.th
• H.E. Mrs. Kanchana Patarachoke, Ambassador-designate, Embassy of Thailand to Belgium and Luxembourg, and Head of Mission of Thailand to the European Union, Belgium, Email: thaiembassy.brs@mfa.go.th

Please also write to the diplomatic representatives of Thailand in your respective countries.
***

Paris-Geneva, 15 September 2025

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). The objective of this programme is to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
• E-mail: alert@observatoryfordefenders.org
• Tel FIDH: +33 (0) 1 43 55 25 18
• Tel OMCT: +41 (0) 22 809 49 39

[1] Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code prescribes jail terms of three to 15 years for those found guilty of defaming, insulting, or threatening the King, the Queen, the Heir to the throne, or the Regent.
[2] Committing an act of violence against the person or liberty of the Queen, the Heir‐Apparent or the Regent shall be punished as follows: If the act is likely to endanger life: death or life imprisonment, Otherwise, imprisonment for life or imprisonment of sixteen to twenty years. Attempting such an act incurs the same punishment; Preparing to commit such an act of violence or assisting in keeping secret the intention to commit it: imprisonment of twelve to twenty years.
[3] Whenever ten persons upwards being assembled together do or threaten to do an act of violence, or do anything to cause a breach of the peace, every such person shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding six months or fined not exceeding one thousand baht, or both. If any of the offenders carries an arm, all offenders: imprisonment not exceeding two years or fine not exceeding four thousand baht, or both. If the offender is the manager or person ordering the offence: imprisonment not exceeding five years or fine not exceeding ten thousand baht, or both
[4] Any person who, without lawful authorisation and without necessity, obstructs a public way by placing or leaving any object on it or by any other act to such an extent that traffic safety or convenience is likely to be disturbed shall be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred baht