Thai protest leader Arnon Nampa jailed for another two years, total sentence exceeds 34 years

BANGKOK, Oct 30 — A Thai court sentenced a leader of 2020 protests to an additional two years in jail today, a rights group said, bringing his total term to more than 34 years.

Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa was convicted on a fresh count of lese majeste, the strict law that shields the Thai royal family from criticism but which critics say is used to muzzle dissent.

Arnon rose to prominence in youth-led protests that saw tens of thousands of people take to the streets in 2020, calling for reform of the military-drafted constitution and the monarchy.

The 42-year-old has been jailed since 2023 on multiple royal insult convictions linked to the protests and his social media posts.

Arnon and four others were sentenced to two years and eight months under lese majeste, campaign group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said in a Facebook post.

Krisadang Nutcharut, a lawyer representing Arnon, confirmed the ruling to AFP, saying the charges stem from a 2020 protest in front of the Siam Commercial Bank headquarters.

Three of the five sentenced on Friday were already serving separate royal insult sentences, Krisadang said, adding that Arnon’s total was now more than 34 years.

“It is now clear that the law has become a political tool used against opponents,” he told AFP.

Arnon was calling for increased transparency over a transfer of shares in Siam Commercial Bank, Thailand’s oldest bank, from the Crown Property Bureau, Krisadang said.

King Vajiralongkorn is the largest shareholder in SCBx, the bank’s parent company, with a 23.6 percent share, SCBx says on its website. — AFP

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曼谷，10 月 30 日——人权组织称，泰国一家法院今天判处 2020 年抗议活动的领导人之一再服刑两年，使其总刑期超过 34 年。

人权律师阿农·南帕因犯有冒犯君主罪而被定罪，这是一项严苛的法律，旨在保护泰国皇室免受批评，但批评人士称该法律被用来压制异议。

阿农在2020年由青年领导的抗议活动中崭露头角，当时成千上万的人走上街头，呼吁改革军方起草的宪法和君主制。

这位 42 岁的男子自 2023 年以来一直因与抗议活动和他在社交媒体上的帖子有关的多项侮辱王室罪名而被监禁。

人权组织“泰国律师争取人权”在Facebook上发帖称，阿农和其他四人因冒犯君主罪被判处两年零八个月监禁。

代表阿农的律师克里萨当·努查鲁特向法新社证实了这一裁决，称这些指控源于 2020 年在暹罗商业银行总部前的一次抗议活动。

克里萨当表示，周五被判刑的五人中，有三人此前已因侮辱王室罪服刑，并补充说，阿农的总刑期现已超过 34 年。

“现在很明显，法律已经沦为对付反对者的政治工具，”他告诉法新社。

克里萨当表示，阿农呼吁提高泰国历史最悠久的银行——暹罗商业银行的股份从皇家财产管理局转让的透明度。

据SCBx银行官网显示，泰国国王哇集拉隆功持有SCBx 23.6%的股份，是该银行母公司的最大股东。——法新社

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总检察署表示，总检察署并未干预将莫哈末·舒海利送回警方的​​决定。

扎希德表示，如果国阵赢得11月14日的大选，将继续任命阿布·拉乌夫为马六甲首席部长。

扎希德欢迎与土著团结党议员达成信任协议，希望与反对党达成更广泛的协议。