Thailand: Second lèse-majesté conviction of pro-democracy activist and MP Chonthicha Jangrew, sentenced to two years and eight months in prison

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), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Thailand.

New information:

The Observatory has been informed about the latest conviction and prison sentence of Ms Chonthicha Jangrew, a prominent pro-democracy activist and Member of Parliament (MP) from the Move Forward Party.

On 8 September 2025, Ms Chonthicha Jangrew was found guilty of offences under Article 112 of the Criminal Code (“lèse-majesté”)1 and Article 14 (3) of the Computer Crime Act by the Bangkok Criminal Court and sentenced to four years in prison, reduced to two years and eight months in prison, in consideration of her useful testimony in her case. Ms Chonthicha had been prosecuted for posting on Facebook about the Thai monarchy as part of the "People’s Messages" campaign organised by the pro-democracy group Free Youth on 8 November 2020. In her letter to King Rama X, Ms Chonthicha criticised the royal budget and reiterated the movement’s demands for reforms of the monarchy. Her legal team had prepared to seek bail immediately after sentencing, with her status as MP at risk if detained. Upon sentencing, the Bangkok Criminal Court referred Ms Chonthicha’s bail request to the Court of Appeals, which ordered her temporary release pending appeal, with bail set at 300,000 THB (approximately equivalent to 7,950 Euros).

This verdict followed Ms Chonthicha's conviction in another case under Article 112. On 27 May 2024, the Thanyaburi Provincial Court sentenced her to two years in prison for a speech she gave during a peaceful demonstration in Thanyaburi, Pathumthani Province, in September 2021. On the same day of that verdict, Ms Chonthicha was granted a temporary release on bail with a 150,000 THB (approximately equivalent to 3,778 Euros) deposit, pending appeal. The Thanyaburi Provincial Court is scheduled to announce the Court of Appeals' verdict in the appeal filed by Ms Chonthicha Jangrew against her conviction and prison sentence on 30 September 2025.

The Observatory recalls that Ms Chonthicha has been facing judicial harassment and criminalisation for her pro-democracy activism for many years. Since 2015, she has been prosecuted in approximately 30 criminal cases on various politically-motivated charges, including lèse-majesté and sedition.

The Observatory further recalls that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has expressed deep concern about the violence, harassment, and judicial harassment faced by women human rights defenders in Thailand, including prolonged pre-trial detention and criminal charges related to their human rights work. The CEDAWhas urged Thai authorities to create an “enabling environment” for women human rights defenders to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and specifically recommended amending Articles 112 (“lèse-majesté”) and 116 (“sedition”) of Thailand Criminal Code, as well as the Computer Crimes Act, to prevent the misuse of these laws against them.

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 sentencing and ongoing judicial harassment against Ms Chonthicha Jangrew. These actions appear to be solely aimed at punishing her for her legitimate human rights activities and the exercise of her rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The Observatory calls on the Thai authorities to immediately and unconditionally end all forms of judicial harassment against her 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 Ms Chonthicha Jangrew and all other human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists in Thailand;
2. Quash the convictions against Ms Chonthicha Jangrew, cease all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against her 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;
3. 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;
4. Refrain from using Article 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, 9 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.