Pro-democracy activists Arnon, Phanuphong freed after global outcry

By The Nation

 

Arnon Nampa, left, and Phanuphong Chadnok (Nation Photo by Wanchai Kraisornkhajit)

 

Pro-democracy activists Arnon Nampa and Phanuphong Chadnok were today freed by the Criminal Court following five days in Bangkok Remand Prison after police withdrew a request for their detention.

 

Samranat police said they cancelled the request because their investigation of the two men had gathered enough facts.

 

Arnon and Phanuphong were detained on August 7 and charged with sedition, violating the emergency decree’s ban on gatherings and other offences, for participating at a July 18 rally at Democracy Monument. The pair were released on bail the next day, but then jailed on September 3 after the court ruled they had broken bail conditions by continuing to attend and organise rallies.

 

Arnon was permitted to reapply for bail and Phanuphong to pay Bt200,000 surety for his release, but both refused the conditions.

 

Domestic and global rights groups demanded their release and called on the government to respect people’s right to protest peacefully and not use the law to gag critics. Amnesty International urged its members worldwide to send letters to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, calling for Arnon and Phanuphong to be freed.

 

The government and police have defended the activists’ detention as necessary under the law.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30394151

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

The government and police have defended the activists’ detention as necessary under the law.

 

One day hopefully very very soon there will be a headline activists defend detention of badge laden uniform wearing charlatans indefinitely ????   

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Samranat police said they cancelled the request because their investigation of the two men had gathered enough facts

Ah, yea. They didn’t have enough information before so thought they’d imprison them anyway. Now they have all the facts they’ve released them. 
 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The government and police have defended the activists’ detention as necessary under the law.

The government is full of weak, scared children who use the law to curb freedom.   cha cha never talks about freedom.  He is not a fan of freedom.  He panders to the wealthy while fiddling around with immigration and the tourist industry.  

Cha cha is up against the student protesters with no backing from the main power behind this country.  The new military leaders coming have the power behind the country behind them and the new leaders do not like cha cha either so no support going forward.

Watch your 6 boys...easier to dispose of you when not in government custody...

4 hours ago, webfact said:

detention as necessary under the law.

Just like Boss the RB bad boy!

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Samranat police said they cancelled the request because their investigation of the two men had gathered enough facts.

I am sure the Thai public has gathered many facts about their police force, there will be a day when they have enough (facts).

46 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

I am sure the Thai public has gathered many facts about their police force, there will be a day when they have enough (facts).

It's coming.

Glad to see the activists free again. 

 

Also glad to see international pressure mounting on these kind of issues on the Thai ( government ???? )

Very brave young men to take on the oppression of Military like this Thailand needs more like them.

They were released because they are innocent always were the Government knows it's about stopping the protests its just sad the Courts allowed it to happen.
See they are sporting the new Military style haircuts they should Sue the government.

So how do things escalate next?

We didn't release them because of International Pressure because that would make us lose face. We will pretend that we now have sufficient evidence that they joined the protest where we arrested them because we have seen photos of them being arrested in the International Press?

1 hour ago, pegman said:

So how do things escalate next?

A few dead politicians should see a major escalation in short order!  But the chance of that is slim given the students are unarmed peaceful protesters.  But the same result could be garnered by the other side who have lots of guns,  bullets and bombs and attributed to the fore said students. 

Twitter works. Amp it up to the max.

3 hours ago, pegman said:

So how do things escalate next?

September 19.