Thai activists charged with sedition over seminar on self-determination
Five activists face sedition charges for organising a seminar with a mock independence vote in Thailand’s Deep South. Authorities say it violated constitutional prohibitions on dividing the kingdom, while rights advocates call the charges an attack on free expression.
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Pattani – Five activists in Thailand’s Deep South face sedition charges over an academic seminar that included a mock referendum on independence – a case that rights advocates say threatens to further narrow political space in a region plagued by a two-decade insurgency.
On 20 November, Pattani Provincial Court accepted charges against Irfan Uma, 25, Sareef Salaman, 22, Hussein Buenae, 22, Atef Soka, 40, and Hakim Pongtiko, 33. Prosecutors accuse them of inciting unrest and threatening national security under the criminal code’s Section 116, Thailand’s sedition law, which carries up to seven years in prison, and Section 210, which carries one to five years. Irfan also faces computer crime charges carrying up to three years.
All five were released on 100,000 baht (about 3,000 USD) bail each. The hearing is set for 12 January 2026.
Thailand’s southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat have experienced periodic armed conflict since 2004, with more than 7,000 deaths. Alongside the violence, a vibrant civil society has emerged advocating for political dialogue, greater regional autonomy, and peaceful resolution of grievances in the Malay-Muslim majority region.
Academic seminar leads to sedition charges
The charges stem from a June 2023 seminar they organised at Prince of Songkla University’s Pattani campus on “The Right to Self-Determination and Peace in Patani.” The event brought together student organisers, political party representatives, and scholars to debate constitutional approaches to resolving regional tensions.
It included a simulation where participants voted on whether Pattani residents should legally be able to hold an independence referendum, designed as an educational exercise in democratic conflict resolution.
The complaint was filed by security officials acting on behalf of Lt Gen Santi Sakuntanak, then Fourth Army Area Commander responsible for the Deep South. The Internal Security Operations Command said the event violated Thailand’s constitution, which states the country is “one and indivisible,” and constituted sedition.
Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission said in a 17 January 2025 statement that it had examined the case and found no evidence the seminar incited division. The commission said prosecuting the activists represents excessive use of the law to suppress freedom of expression and constitutes a human rights violation.
Emergency rule restricts political discourse
Hussein Buenae, 22, former president of Yala Rajabhat University’s student organisation and one of the seminar’s organisers, said the event was conceived as a scholarly exploration of democratic alternatives during the 2023 government transition period.
The seminar featured Associate Professor Mark Tamthai, who researches conflict resolution and led a government peace dialogue team in 2006-2008. Political parties included Prachachat, which held the most regional parliamentary seats in the region at the time, Move Forward, and local party Puen Tham, which campaigns for expanded civil liberties.
Hakim Pongtiko, 33, former deputy secretary-general of Puen Tham party, attended as a party representative. He said the party’s position is clear: they want to open political space and reform laws to give people more rights and freedoms, because they believe this enables greater democratic participation. But if the state prosecutes academic discussions about these issues, it signals that constitutional politics and parliamentary advocacy have severe limits.
“If this case results in a conviction, it means there will be no opportunity to push these policies in parliament unless a new constitution is drafted that prioritises rights and freedoms,” Hakim said.
Associate Professor Mark, who spoke at the seminar, argued that the prosecution reflects anxiety about democratic deliberation on sensitive political questions. Even simulation exercises about democratic mechanisms trigger sedition charges, revealing how constrained political discourse has become, he said.
He argued that prosecuting peaceful activists shows “unwillingness to engage these questions through democratic processes because some fear the outcomes.”
The Deep South has operated under an emergency decree since 2005, which restricts freedom of expression and assembly and allows detention without charge for up to 30 days. Thai authorities justify the measures as necessary to counter separatist violence and maintain national security, treating discussions of independence or self-determination as threats to territorial integrity.
Expert: Political freedoms key to stability
Assistant Professor Srisombop Jitpiromsri, director of the Deep South Watch Centre at Prince of Songkla University, said political space is critical to reducing violence.
Statistical data shows that during continuous dialogue periods, violence decreases significantly, he said. A notable turning point began in 2024 under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government, no dialogue team was established, and violent incidents increased. This year, violence is already higher than last year, he said. Stopping dialogue processes is a critical condition causing increased violence.
“If the state wants to reduce violence, it must strengthen political space. This is very important”, Srisombop said. “Criticism and public participation will strengthen the peace process.”
This story is part of a collaborative reporting project between HaRDstories and Wartani, supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.
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