AnatomyA Royal Offense

Numerous countries have lèse-majesté laws on their books, prohibiting insult to the sovereign or head of state. The laws can forbid anything from questioning a leader’s authority in the media to viewing a negative post about a sovereign online. Below, World Policy Journal looks at countries that have such laws in place, and the length of the jail term (in years) an offender could face.

Thailand’s lèse-majesté laws forbid insulting any member of the royal family. This includes stepping on the currency, which bears the king’s image. The number of lèse-majesté cases filed by police rose following the 2006 coup, reaching 104 in 2009 before dropping again. After the 2014 coup, which established a military junta, the number of cases filed increased once again, reaching 116 in 2015.

Compiled by John Kiehl and Helena Ong

Sources: Defamation and Insult Laws in the OSCE Region: A Comparative Study I Cambodia: Cambodia passes controversial lese majeste law, DW, Feb. 2018 I Iceland: Media Laws Database, International Press Institute I Jordan: Jordan Internet Legislation Atlas Country Report I Malaysia: Laws of Malaysia Act 15 Sedition Act 1948; “Malaysia activist whose passport was revoked says he has been issued asylum card by Sweden,” The Straits Times, Dec. 2014 I Suriname: Media Laws Database, International Press Institute | Thailand: Thailand Law Library; Prachatai “A Decade of Article 112 Cases” I Belarus: Belarus election diary: “Free and fair” elections, The Telegraph, Sept. 2008 I France: “14 Strange laws from around the world,” Business Insider, July 2016; Au Regard de la loi, Le Monde, Feb. 2013 I Saudi Arabia: “Pakistani commentator Zaid Hamid sentenced to prison, lashing in Saudi Arabia,” Gulf News, April 2018; “Saudi writer arrested for insulting long-dead king” Middle East Eye, July 2015 I Morocco: Code de la Presse, 2002

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