A 69-year-old Thai woman has been released early from prison after serving less than one-fifth of a more than four-decade sentence for royal defamation, according to human rights groups.
Anchan Preelert, a former civil servant, was among six political prisoners granted a royal pardon on 29 July in celebration of King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s birthday.
She had been sentenced in January 2021 to 87 years in prison for posting audio clips online with comments critical of the monarchy.
Her term was later reduced to 43 years and six months after she pleaded guilty.
Thailand’s lese majeste law, which criminalizes insults to the monarchy, carries sentences of three to 15 years per violation.
Critics say the law is often used to suppress political dissent and that anyone, not only authorities, can file a complaint.
Anchan was arrested in 2015 and spent eight years and four months in detention, including pretrial confinement. Upon her release, she was greeted by family, friends, and supporters with flowers.
Human rights groups report that more than 270 people have been charged under lese majeste since early 2020, when student-led protests demanding reforms to the monarchy began. Some high-profile sentences include a 50-year term for activist Mongkhon Thirakot in 2024.
Despite these prosecutions, recent court rulings show a degree of leniency.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was acquitted last week of a royal defamation charge, as was opposition lawmaker Piyarat Chongthep, who had been accused of criticizing the monarchy’s role in dispersing protests.
More than 50 political prisoners remain in Thailand, 32 of whom face charges related to royal defamation, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.