The Thai military court has turned down the custody permission against the 14 anti-junta activists on one of their charges. However, they still have to face trials.
At about 11:30 Tuesday, 7 July 2015, the Thai military court rejected the custody petition to detain the 14 embattled anti-junta activists, who have been under custody since 26 June 2015, issued by the police.
According iLaw, an internet platform promoting civil laws related to freedom of expression, however, the court’s rejection is concerning the case of the group’s political gathering on 25 June, but not the political gatherings to commemorate the coup on 22 June 2015 in Bangkok and Khon Kaen Province.
If the military court’s decision on the other case is similar, the students are to be freed. However, they will still have to stand on trials for allegedly breaking the junta’s orders and committing crimes against national security.
Many people gathered since early morning on 7 July 2015 to call for the release of the 14 anti-junta activists
“I’m not behind the students [the 14 activists], but I’m beside them,” said Prajak in front of the Bangkok’s military court.
Sunai Phasuk, a researcher from Human Rights Watch, who also came to the military court posted on his twitter account“although the military court rejected the custody petition against the 14 they are still charged with a serious case with the penalty of up to 7 years imprisonment. What happened was just meant to improve the image [of the regime] and reduce pressure.”
On Monday night, 6 July 2015, many activists, academics, and others participated in an event at Thammasat University to support and call for an immediate release of the 14 activists.
“I’m not behind the students [the 14 activists], but I’m beside them,” said Prajak Kongkirati, a renowned political scientist and lecturer of Thammasat University, in front of the Bangkok’s military court on 7 July 2015
Since the arrest of the 14 in late June, many international organisations, such as the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the European Union (EU), and many other human rights organisations issued statements in support for the 14 and urged the Thai junta to stop the crackdown on freedom of expression.
Bangkok’s Military Court on 28 June granted custody permission to detain 14 student activists who are accused of violating the junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Order No. 7/2014, which prohibits any political gathering of more than five persons for holding symbolic events to commemorate the 2014 coup d’état on 22 May.
In addition, the 14 are also charged under Article 116 of the Criminal Code, the law on sedition, for holding anti-junta political activities. If found guilty, the activists might face prison terms up to seven years.
Sirawit Serithiwat, a well known student activists from an anti-junta Resistant Citizen group, are among the crowd who came to support the 14 activists.