Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa bail hopes derailed again on less majeste charge

Arnon Nampa, a prominent human rights lawyer, faced a second denial for his bail request, as informed by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).

The appeal court’s decision came yesterday, October 16, justifying it with the severity of the royal defamation charges against Arnon and the potential risk of him absconding if set free. Consequently, the court found no grounds to overturn the initial verdict, which also denied bail.

Arnon’s legal representatives had contended that he was professionally engaged in over 39 cases as a legal counsel for defendants across Bangkok and other provinces, negating any possibility of him fleeing.

They further pointed out an instance when the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court had permitted Nampa to visit South Korea in May to accept the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights. Following his international trip, he returned to Thailand and dutifully reported to the court.

Arnon has been held in the Bangkok Remand Prison since his sentencing on September 26 for a speech he delivered at a pro-democracy rally in October 2020. Beyond this, he is still contending with 13 additional charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese-majeste law.

TLHR provided data up till August 31 this year, revealing that 1,925 individuals have faced prosecution for political participation and expression since the Free Youth protests commenced in July 2020. Of these, at least 257 are grappling with charges under Section 112, and another 130 have been indicted with sedition under Section 116, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, the second youngest person in Thailand who was accused of committing lese majeste was finally bailed from juvenile detention earlier this year. However, she was found with a bacterial skin rash on her back which is caused by the dirty water. To find out more about this story, you can read it HERE!

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