Sri Lanka, Jan. 19 -- A Thai man was given a 50-year prison sentence on Thursday (Jan 18) for criticising the monarchy - the longest jail term ever handed down under the kingdom's strict royal insult laws, a legal rights group said.

The record-breaking sentence comes after several years in which Thailand has ramped up use of the controversial legislation against pro-democracy protesters in what critics say is a tactic to silence dissent.

An appeal court in the northern city of Chiang Rai sentenced Mongkol Thirakot, 30, a former pro-democracy activist to a total of 50 years over posts on his personal Facebook account.

He was initially sentenced to 28 years by a lower criminal court, but was found guilty on 11 more counts during his appe...