Thai activist gets two-year suspended prison sentence for 2021 remarks about monarchy

BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court has convicted a prominent political activist of defaming the country’s monarchy and sentenced her to a two-year suspended jail term under a controversial law that criminalizes any perceived criticism of the royal institution. Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon, better known by her nickname “Mind,” had pleaded not guilty to an offense under Article 112 of the criminal code, relating to a speech she gave in Bangkok in March 2021. Patsaravalee played a high-profile role in unprecedented protests that shook Thailand beginning in 2020, calling for reforms in the monarchy. The institution is traditionally deeply revered and is protected from criticism by the lese majeste law, which imposes severe penalties on those found to violate it, including up to 15 years in jail per offense.