Alleged Thai protest organizers have bail revoked
Bangkok, Sep 3 (efe-epa).- A Thai court on Thursday ordered two suspected organizers of student-led pro-democracy protests to be remanded in custody.
The presiding judge overturned a previous decision allowing Anon Nampa, a lawyer and activist, and Panupong Jadnok, a student, to be released on bail.
Both were arrested on 7 August and face charges of breaking Thailand’s emergency coronavirus laws and sedition for allegedly organizing several protests from 18 July onward.
The judge ordered the pair to remain in custody, saying that they had violated their terms of bail by continuing to organize protests.
Anon and Panupong declined to appeal the decision, according to Thai Lawyers Human Rights, which is providing the defense for the accused.
In a message shared by the lawyers, Anon said: “It’s been a pleasure to fight with all of you. We’ve come very fair and we should continue with courage.”
Panupong, in another statement, said: “Keep fighting to bring victory to the movement.”
A total of 12 people have been detained in Thailand accused of organizing the pro-democracy protests.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators, mainly young students, have repeatedly taken to the streets of Bangkok over the summer.
The student protests have called for a curtailing of powers in the Thai military, which since the end of the country’s absolute monarchy in 1932 have launched a total of 13 coup d’états.
To this end, one of their main focuses has been current prime minister Prayut Chan-ocha, a former general who led the 2014 military coup and who was elected head of the government in a 2019 election that has been described by detractors, opposition parties and international observers as rigged and non-transparent.
Centered around the country’s universities, the rallies have also addressed one of the country’s biggest taboos by opening a debate around Thailand’s powerful royal family.
The Asian nation has some of the toughest lèse majesté laws in the world and criticizing or insulting the country’s royal family can lead to a 15-year prison sentence. EFE-EPA
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