A young Thai activist, Netiporn Sanesangkhom, passed away in a prison hospital after going on a hunger strike while being jailed for advocating reform of Thailand's monarchy system. Netiporn, 28, was a member of the activist group Thaluwang, known for their bold campaigns demanding monarchy reform and abolition of laws prohibiting defamation of royal family members.
Thailand's monarchy was traditionally considered a revered institution, with criticism being a taboo subject. However, recent years have seen a shift with increased calls for reform and criticism of the monarchy, leading to legal repercussions under the lese majeste law.
Netiporn was one of over 270 activists charged under the royal defamation law following the pro-democracy protests in 2020-21. She had two pending lese majeste charges related to conducting public opinion polls about the royal family.
Despite efforts to resuscitate her after suffering cardiac arrest, Netiporn was pronounced dead in the prison hospital. She had started a hunger strike in January after her detention, and although she briefly resumed eating and drinking in April, reports indicated she was still fasting.
Her lawyers had sought her transfer to a different hospital for treatment, but the request was not granted. Two other activists from Thaluwang are also on hunger strikes in protest against their lese majeste charges.
Thaluwang has been vocal not only about monarchy reform but also about changes in the justice system and an end to political persecution through the courts. The group has also called for Thailand to reject its application to join the U.N. Human Rights Council, citing concerns over the country's human rights record.
Human Rights Watch has criticized the Thai government for using arbitrary arrests and pretrial detention to silence critics of the monarchy, labeling it a violation of international human rights law. The government's bid for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council has been met with skepticism due to these ongoing human rights issues.
