Report Royal Pardon Frees Woman Jailed 43 Years for Lese-Majeste

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post | Reuters

 

A 69-year-old woman, Anchan Preelert, is set to be released on Wednesday after spending more than eight years in prison for lese-majeste, thanks to a royal pardon, according to her lawyers.

 

Anchan was initially sentenced in 2021 to an astonishing 87 years for violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, having been convicted for sharing content that allegedly defamed the king 29 times. Her sentence was halved to 43 years and six months following a guilty plea, marking the longest recorded sentence for such an offence, as noted by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

 

The story began with Anchan's arrest in January 2015 by military officers under the orders of the National Council for Peace and Order, led by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. She endured three years and nine months in detention, held initially in a military camp before being transferred to the Central Women's Correctional Institution. After being temporarily released on bail in November 2018, her trial concluded in January 2021, resulting in her reimprisonment. In total, Anchan has spent about eight years and four months behind bars.

 

Her sentence saw multiple reductions thanks to royal pardons in July 2021, December 2021, and most recently this month, shortening her remaining term to 2 years, 7 months, and 20 days. Prisoners aged at least 60 and with less than three years left to serve were eligible for this release scheme, reported the Bangkok Post.

 

Following her release, Anchan will participate in a two-week training program to ease her transition back to civilian life. Post-training, she will be allowed to return home.

 

Despite her freedom, Anchan faces another battle. She was dismissed from the civil service in 2023 due to serious disciplinary offences related to her conviction, stripping her of a government pension accrued over nearly four decades. She is currently appealing this decision.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-08-27