Search Results for: monarchy

Thailand activist and lawyer Arnon Nampa received his second conviction and four more years of imprisonment Wednesday for a case of royal defamation related to social media posts from 2021. Defamation of Thai royalty is a punishable offence under the Thai Criminal Code, referred to as the lese-majeste law.  According to a report by Nampa’s volunteer [...]

A clash between thousands of monarchist protestors and police took place in Kathmandu, Nepal on Thursday. The confrontation, marked by the use of rattan sticks, tear gas and water cannons, resulted in the forceful dispersal of the demonstration. This event underscores tensions between pro-monarchy and pro-republic factions in the Himalayan nation. Initially peaceful, the demonstration [...]

Thailand’s progressive opposition party, the Move Forward Party submitted a draft bill to Parliament Thursday seeking to establish amnesty for potentially thousands of individuals who have been charged with various crimes during political rallies since 2006. These charges notably include offenses such as insulting the monarchy, which have drawn condemnation for not complying with international [...]

The Court of Appeal in Thailand on Saturday rejected the bail application of Arnon Nampa, a prominent leader of the Thai protest movement, according to a social media announcement from the Thai Lawyers Center for Human Rights (TLHR). Arnon Nampa was convicted under Thailand’s lèse-majesté law, which imposes strict penalties for defaming or insulting the [...]

The Thai Royal Gazette announced on Friday that Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn granted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra a royal pardon, reducing Thaksin’s eight-year prison sentence to one year. A royal pardon, which may be granted as an unconditional release or commutation of punishment at the discretion of Thailand’s king, is the act of forgiving [...]

President Joe Biden has repeatedly characterized the state of world affairs as a battle between democracies and autocracies, with America leading the coalition championing the democratic cause. According to the United States, this coalition aims to show the world that government of the people, by the people and for the people is the best model, [...]

The Nepal Supreme Court’s June 28 ruling requiring the government to register same-sex relationships follows an arduous struggle to achieve marriage equality in the South Asian nation. This historic order is expected to have an impact on an upcoming verdict regarding a similar plea at the Supreme Court of India. Despite India’s decriminalization of queer [...]

Pita Limjaroenrat, a leading progressive candidate for Thai prime minister, failed on Thursday to obtain enough votes to secure the leadership position in Thai’s Parliament. During a joint parliamentary session, Pita fell short of the prime minister position by 52 votes, despite garnering overwhelming support in the May general election over the ruling military-backed government [...]

Thailand’s Election Commission is investigating Prime Ministerial frontrunner Pita Limjaroenrat over his alleged ownership of media company shares, AFP reported Monday. The commission will investigate whether Pita held media company shares while standing as a Thai House of Representatives candidate, which is against the law. Pita has downplayed the problem, claiming that the company, ITV, [...]

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) denounced on Friday Macau’s decision to expand their national security law, which takes effect this week. The effect of these changes, according to RSF, “increases the pressure on journalists and further threatens the residents’ right to information.” Macau’s National Security Law defines seven crimes that can result in a maximum sentence [...]