Pardons by the royalty absolve lese majeste offenders, demonstrators
In a significant development, several prisoners, including activists and individuals convicted under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, were released from Thai prisons on Wednesday. The Corrections Department confirmed that authorities began releasing inmates who qualified for a royal pardon on this day.
Among the released prisoners were Thanayut Na Ayutthaya, a hip-hop artist known as "Book", and Kanun Poomphuengphut. Thanayut spent nearly 23 months in prison, while Kanun spent a total of 521 days behind bars. The exact number of prisoners released on Wednesday, including Thanayut and Kanun, is not specified in the text.
Thanayut was convicted of possessing explosives during the "Thalu Gas" movement protests and sentenced to two years and six months. Kanun, on the other hand, was detained since March 25, 2024, for a speech about the monarchy. Anchan Preelert, a former civil servant, was freed from the Central Women's Correctional Institution in Bangkok after serving eight years, four months, and 19 days. Anchan was imprisoned since Sept 22, 2023, for uploading and distributing 29 audio clips by underground radio host "Banpot", deemed defamatory to the monarchy.
Thanaporn, another Section 112 convict, and Sombat Thongyoi, another Section 112 prisoner, were also freed from Thonburi Women's Correctional Institution and Bangkok Remand Prison, respectively, on Wednesday.
The royal pardon was granted by the King of Thailand, leading to the release of Anchan Preelert, Thanaporn, Thanayut Na Ayutthaya, Kanun Poomphuengphut, and Sombat Thongyoi. It is important to note that the text does not provide information about the reasons for the royal pardons for Thanayut and Kanun. Additionally, the text does not specify if any other prisoners, apart from those mentioned, were also released on Wednesday.
This mass release of prisoners jailed for violating the lese majeste law and related protest codes marks a significant moment in Thailand's political landscape. The exact number of prisoners released on Wednesday is not specified in the text, but it is clear that many have been granted a second chance at freedom.
