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Activist in Thailand sentenced to years in jail for insulting country's queen

Thailand Royal Defamation
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An activist in Thailand was given a two-year jail sentence on Monday after being convicted of insulting the country's royal family.

Jatuporn “New” Saeoueng wore a pink dress as other protesters held umbrellas during a street demonstration on a mock red carpet event meant to appearlike a fashion show in downtown Bangkok in Oct. 2020. The display was meant to appear as if Thailand's Queen Suthida was there.

A Thai court convicted Jatuporn of insulting the monarchy and mocking the royal family, Reuters reported.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said the sentence from Bangkok's Criminal Court had originally been set at three years for violating the country's lese majeste law, making defaming the monarch and the immediate family punishable by up to 15 years per offense.

Jatuporn was also fined the equivalent of $27.50.