Rights groups say the law is abused to silence political dissent. Read more at straitstimes.com.
BANGKOK - Two young protesters held under Thailand’s strict royal insult law entered their 50th day of hunger striking on Wednesday, but in the run-up to a general election and with the government cracking down on dissent, the response to their marathon action has been muted.
“There were many people at the beginning, but as the protest continues fewer people come,” said Mr Krisadang Nootjaras, from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights , a legal aid group that handles many royal insult cases. And there has been little action on Bangkok’s streets, which were brought to a standstill by mass youth-led protests in 2020 and 2021 that included demands for changes to the royal insult law.
“Under this repressive environment, people are fearing to come out, and speak out, and demand democracy and any other causes that they want,” Amnesty International researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong told AFP.Mr Chanatip said the election, expected sometime in May, added to peoples’ fear of a tougher government crackdown.Political analyst at Naresuan University Napisa Waitoolkiat, said media attention on the election meant there was little room for other reporting.
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