Arnon NAMPHA

Image Credit: Prachatai

A poet and human rights lawyer, Arnon Nampha continued to serve a cumulative sentence of 29 years and one month in prison at the end of 2025 following 10 convictions under Article 112 (lèse-majesté) of the Thai Criminal Code. The convictions arose out of his peaceful expression and participation in demonstrations throughout 2020 and 2021. Nampha faces four additional lèse-majesté charges, each of which carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years’ imprisonment, and remains at risk of disbarment (see Case Lists 2020-2025). On 25 December 2025, Thailand’s Supreme Court upheld an order denying him bail while he appeals six of his convictions. 

As an activist lawyer, Nampha is known for representing clients in politically sensitive cases involving human rights violations by Thai authorities. He was first arrested on 7 August 2020 for calling for monarchy reform and an end to lèse-majesté laws. He continued to attend public rallies and was repeatedly detained, spending a total of 337 days in prison.  

Thai authorities have also pursued disbarment proceedings against him. For instance, the Bangkok Criminal Court alleged that his continued representation of clients while wearing a prison uniform violated court dress codes. 

Born on 18 August 1984, Arnon Nampha emerged as a leading figure in Thailand’s protest movement. He uses his poetry to shine a light on the struggles of marginalised communities across the country. A translated collection of his poetry, People are Blind and Mute No Longer, was released to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the 2006 military coup. In 2021, PEN International published English translations of two booklets containing speeches delivered by Nampha during the 2020 protests. In 2025, he received the Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk. 

Update:

On 20 February 2026, Arnon Nampha was convicted on another charge of lèse-majesté, bringing his total number of convictions to 11. He was sentenced to an additional two years and eight months in prison, bringing his total prison sentence to more than 30 years.