Demand for unconditional release of referendum violators rejected

[webfact]

Demand for unconditional release of referendum violators rejected

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The National Council for Peace and Order has rejected the demand of a network of 96 activist groups for the unconditional release of all the suspects arrested for defying the Referendum Act.

 

Colonel Piyapong Klinpant, deputy chief of public relations office of the NCPO, said Thursday that all the cases had to proceed in accordance with the law as he assured that authorities had not overacted nor violated human rights principle.

 

Asked about the case of Mr Chatupat Boonthararaksa or Pai Daodin who staged a hunger strike against the referendum, the colonel said that the suspect had been treated properly while in detention and accorded with food, medication and personal accessories.

 

Meanwhile, the military at the 11th army circle where two former Pheu Thai MPs are being detained for breaching the referendum law rejected a request by a group of senior Pheu Thai party members to visit the two detainees, Rangsan Maneerat and Sompote Saithep.

 

The Pheu Thai party group comprises acting party leader Pol Lt-Gen Virote Pao-in, acting secretary-general Poomtham Wecchayachai, legal advisor Chusak Sirinil among some others.

 

Poomtham later told reporters that since the two detainees are not criminals, they should be released because the referendum was over. He suggested that the military junta should allow free expressions now that the referendum was over.

 

He also urged the junta to stop harassing politicians who think differently from the junta.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/demand-unconditional-release-referendum-violators-rejected/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-08-12

 

[elgordo38]

The referendum may be over but that does not make freedom of speech a reality. Its a new day but the same old rules apply. Prayuth is keeping article/cudjel 44 the referendum changes nothing. It is one more turn in the junta road map but stay the course for the rest of Thai society.