A COURT in Thailand sentenced a political activist to 28 years in prison on Thursday for posting messages on Facebook that it said defamed the country’s monarchy.

The court in the northern province of Chiang Rai found that Mongkhon Thirakot violated the lese majeste law in 14 of 27 posts for which he was arrested last August. The law covers the current king, his queen and heirs, and any regent.

The law carries a prison term of three to 15 years per incident for insulting the monarchy. 

Student-led pro-democracy protests beginning in 2020 openly criticised the monarchy, previously a taboo subject, leading to vigorous prosecutions under the law, which had previously been relatively rarely employed.

Mr Mongkhon was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison for each of the other 14 posts. The 42-year total prison term was reduced by one third, to 28 years, because of his co-operation with the court.

Mr Mongkhon is appealing the sentence.

Since November 2020, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, a legal aid organisation, at least 228 people, including 18 minors, have been charged with violating the law, even as the protest movement withered due to arrests and the difficulties of conducting protests during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The opposition Move Forward Party, which has been offering support, has proposed amending the lese majeste law, but no action has been taken in Parliament.

“The entire Thai justice system has a problem and so does the enforcement of the lese majeste law, which is also used as a political tool. Thailand has to solve this and make its distorted justice system better,” said Pita Limjaroenrat, the party’s leader.