Today, Rung was arrested by Thai authorities and charged with sedition and computer-related crimes under the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act. Granted bail for 35,000 Baht (approx. USD 1,050), Rung is thankfully no longer being detained. Rung still faces dozens of charges and is at risk of life imprisonment. Please sign the petition and demand that Thailand drop all charges against Rung.
Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul faces life in prison because she dared to speak up for change in Thailand. Now she urgently needs your help to secure her freedom.
Rung - which means ‘rainbow’ in Thai - is a student and amateur violinist. She describes herself as “humble and quiet”, and yet she’s bravely stepped up as one of the leading voices in Thailand’s youth democracy movement.
Rung became politically active while studying sociology and anthropology at university in Bangkok. She bravely took part in protests for social and political change throughout 2020. By August, she had become a protest leader. Watched by thousands, Rung called for equality, freedom of expression and – a highly sensitive topic in Thailand – the reform of the monarchy. This unprecedented act propelled her onto the national stage and it’s the reason why the authorities branded her a troublemaker.
Still, Rung continued to lead protests for constitutional and social reform.She was arrested in March and accused of provoking unrest under a lèse-majesté law that outlaws criticism of the monarchy. She spent 60 days in prison during which she was diagnosed with COVID-19. The authorities denied her bail six times. In defiance, she went on a 38-day hunger strike and was eventually released on 30 April 2021.
Her struggle is far from over though. Rung faces dozens of charges against her. If she’s found guilty, she could spend the rest of her life in prison.
“Once you step into the prison; you will no longer feel that your humanity is still intact,” she says. Please help Rung secure her freedom by putting pressure on the Thai authorities to drop the charges against her. Your action can make all the difference.
