The Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s judgment and sentenced Khandu Wangmo to 21 years in prison for sedition. The High Court gave her a consecutive prison term for three counts of sedition.
The Office of the Attorney General appealed to the High Court after the Thimphu District Court sentenced her to a concurrent prison term of five years in September last year.
The court convicted her of writing seditious documents like “Prayers For Your Majesty, The King Of Bhutan”, “To The King of Bhutan, Tashichhodzong, Thimphu” and “Dear Sir, Please Forward This to DPT President”.
According to the Penal Code, a defendant shall be guilty of the offence of sedition if the defendant issues an insulting and hateful statement against the King or the Royal Government with the intent to defame, disrupt, encourage contempt, or incite hatred of the people against Bhutan.
The High Court also sentenced Khandu Wangmo to a concurrent prison term of nine years in November last year. She was convicted of abetting mutiny, criminal misappropriation of property, larceny by deception, illegal possession of firearms and impersonation of uniformed personnel. She also received an additional prison term of 18 months for solicitation of official misconduct and harassment.
Meanwhile, the conspiracy case is now in the Supreme Court after her appeal.
Tshering Zam
