Human‑rights lawyer Arnon Nampa sentenced to 34 years for lèse majesté protests

Arnon Nampa, a 42‑year‑old Thai human‑rights lawyer, was convicted in 2024 for calling for scrutiny of Thailand’s monarchy after he appeared in a Harry Potter costume at a 2020 protest in Bangkok. The court imposed a two‑year‑eight‑month sentence for violating Article 112 of Thailand’s lèse majesté law, bringing his cumulative prison term to more than 34 years across 14 separate charges. Nampa’s case is part of a broader crackdown that has seen 294 people prosecuted under Article 112 since the 2020 student protests, with sentences ranging up to 50 years. He remains in Bangkok’s Klongsan Central Prison, with limited family visits. The Thai government justifies the law as protecting the monarchy, a pillar of national culture, but critics argue it suppresses free expression.