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Lawyer charged with insulting Thai king contracts COVID-19 in custody

Thai activist lawyer, Arnon Nampa, jailed without bail since February on charges of insulting the country’s powerful king, has contracted the coronavirus in custody, a corrections department official said on Thursday.
“Arnon tested positive for COVID yesterday and at the moment he has been sent to the prison hospital for treatment,” a corrections department official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. A department statement later confirmed he had contracted the virus.
Arnon, 36, has been a key adviser behind groundbreaking student protests last year that made a once-unthinkable call for reforming Thailand’s monarchy, considered by many conservative Thais to be sacrosanct.
The protests also demanded the resignation of the current prime minister, who first came to power in a 2014 military coup.
Several protest leaders have been jailed for weeks without bail on charges of insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn during the protests, a crime that carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
Bail hearings are scheduled on Thursday for two other detained protest leaders, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, 22, and Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, 22, who are both also charged under the royal insult law, known as “lese majeste”, as well as other criminal charges.
Local media reported that Parit’s hearing might be postponed because he had earlier shared a cell with another prisoner who tested positive for COVID-19.
Parit, who has been on hunger strike since March, was hospitalized last week after his health deteriorated.
source: Reuters
Image source: Reuters
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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