A democracy activist accused of defying the junta’s political gathering ban has vowed to fight the case in a military court while the military prosecutor wants his rights to vote to be suspended for a decade.
The Military Court of Bangkok on 24 May 2017 held a deposition hearing for Rakchat Wongathichat, a member of the New Democracy Movement (NDM).
Rakchat was indicted on 1 November 2016 for violating the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Head’s Order No. 3/2015, the junta’s ban on any political gathering of five or more persons.
He was arrested together with 12 other members of the NDM for handing out flyers on 23 June 2016 calling for a no vote in the draft charter referendum to workers at Bangplee Industrial Estate, Samut Prakan Province.
At the hearing Rakchat denied the charge and vowed to fight the case.
In the case file, the military prosecutor also asked the court to prohibit Rakchat from participating in an election for the next 10 years.
The military court has scheduled the preliminary hearing on the case on 3 August 2017.
According to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, since the 2014 coup d’état, at least 242 people were charged with allegedly violating the junta’s political gathering ban, while 69 people were arrested for allegedly violating the sedition law for showing resistance against the regime.
If found guilty, Rakchat could be imprisoned for up to six months or fined for up to ten thousand Baht, or both.
The soldiers arresting Rangsiman Rome, key member of the NDM, on 23 June 2016 for distributing Vote No flyers. Photo courtesy of NDM