"Thai Activist Receives Record 50-Year Jail Term for Insulting Monarchy"

A Thai man is facing a record 50 years in prison for insulting the royal family through social media posts, with an appeals court adding to his initial 28-year sentence. The lèse-majesté law in Thailand, which protects the monarchy from criticism, has been criticized by international human rights groups as extreme. The man's lawyer stated that he denies wrongdoing and plans to appeal the sentence to the Supreme Court. This case highlights the strict enforcement of the lèse-majesté law, with at least 262 people charged with offenses since 2020, amid youth-led protests openly criticizing the monarchy.