A Thai court on Monday sentenced a lawmaker, Chonthicha Jangrew, of the Move Forward Party, to two years in prison after finding her guilty of defaming the monarchy during a protest rally in 2021.

The progressive opposition party lawmaker was handed the sentence on Monday at the Thanyaburi Provincial Court in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok. Ms Jandrew, popularly known as “Lookkate,” represents a constituency in Pathum Thani.

Charges were filed against Ms Jangrew after she demanded the release of all political prisoners during a speech she delivered at the rally in front of the same court.

The court found her guilty for her comment on the speech in which she disagreed with how the government, then led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, amended laws to give King Maha Vajiralongkorn more power to control the palace wealth, which the Crown Property Bureau manages.

According to the judge, her comment may be wrongly interpreted as King Vajiralongkorn spending taxpayers’ money for his personal use and using his influence to interfere with politics, thereby potentially misinforming the public and potentially tarnishing his reputation.

The judge sentenced her to three years in prison but reduced it to two years because she cooperated during the trial. She was, however, released on bail of 150,000 baht ($4,100). 

Speaking to journalists after the court pronouncement, the 31-year-old lawmaker, who expressed delight that she was granted bail, said she was not surprised about the verdict,

If she was not granted and sent to prison, the lawmaker would have lost her seat in parliament. 

Defaming the monarchy in Thailand is considered taboo. The punishment for insulting or defaming key royal family members ranges from three to 15 years of jail term.