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Thai Supreme Court to Try 44 Opposition Figures Over Section 112 Reform Bid

The decision signals mounting judicial pressure on reformists with high stakes for free speech.

Overview

  • Thailand's Supreme Court accepted the anti-graft body's petition on Friday and scheduled trial proceedings to start June 30.
  • The 44 face ethics charges tied to a 2021 bid to soften Section 112, a royal insult law that carries up to 15 years in prison per offence.
  • Those named include People's Party figures and ex-Move Forward lawmakers, with 10 serving MPs kept in their seats pending trial.
  • Possible penalties include lifetime bans from holding office and loss of voting rights for 10 years if found guilty.
  • Human rights groups condemn the case as politically driven, noting courts already dissolved Move Forward in 2024 after it was blocked from forming a government in 2023.