How did two 2020 X posts lead to Rukchanok Srinok’s conviction?

Question

Accepted Answer

Rukchanok Srinok's Conviction Stemmed from Two Social Media Posts in 2020 Deemed Defamatory to the Monarchy

Rukchanok Srinok, a parliamentarian with Thailand's Move Forward Party, was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison for offenses related to two social media posts made in 2020 on the platform X, formerly Twitter. The court found one post accusing the government of leveraging Covid-19 vaccine distribution for royal image promotion to be defamatory. The second conviction stemmed from her sharing of another user's graphically worded post, which the court determined displayed significant malice towards the king.
Accusation Regarding Vaccine Distribution

The first social media post that led to Rukchanok Srinok's conviction alleged that the Thai government was utilising the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to enhance the public image of the monarchy. The court examined this claim and concluded that it constituted defamation against the crown, a serious offense under Thai law. This specific post, made in 2020, formed a key part of the charges against her.
Sharing of a Malicious Post

The second conviction arose from Rukchanok Srinok's act of sharing a post originally made by another user on X. This shared post was described by the court as being graphically worded and demonstrating "great malice" directed towards the king. The court's judgment highlighted the severity of the shared content and Rukchanok's role in disseminating it, contributing to her overall conviction.
Legal Context and Potential Consequences

Thailand's lese-majeste law is notoriously strict, with potential jail sentences of up to 15 years for each perceived insult to the monarchy, which includes the king, queen, heir, and regent. Beyond her prison sentence, Rukchanok Srinok faces the possibility of being disqualified as a member of parliament for Bangkok if the court does not grant her bail, according to her lawyer. She has indicated her intention to appeal the sentence. Since 2020, data from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights indicates that at least 262 individuals have been charged under the lese-majeste law.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

How did two 2020 X posts lead to Rukchanok Srinok’s conviction?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

2

0

0

Share with friends