PROSECUTORS will be filing charges of violating the emergency decree against three People Party leaders and 15 other suspects at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Feb. 17) over a demonstration held on September 19 last year with the three leaders also facing charges of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law, Thai Rath newspaper reported.
Mr. Noraset Na Nongtum, an attorney at the Human Rights Lawyers Association, said the Special Prosecutors of Criminal Division 7 notified him that of the 18 suspects faces charges of breaching the emergency decree, three of them, Ms. Panusaya Sitthichirawattanakul, or Rung, Mr. Jarupat Boonpattararaksa, or Phai Dao Din, and Mr. Panupong Chadnok, or Mike, also face charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code.
He added that it ws uncertain whether all 18 would show up for the hearing but they had initially confirmed that they would.
Asked if all the accused did not show up would the case be postponed, Noraset said he had been told that in that case those who came first would be first sued and the others later.
He added that he had prepared a request for fairness as more witnesses had to be questioned and for that reason charges should not yet be filed.
Submission of bail had also been prepared with a team of academics from Thammasat University and MPs Move Forward Party ready to place their positions as guarantee because there were so many suspects and there might not be enough funds and assets for all of them.
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Top: Panusaya, or Rung, with some People’s Party members recently. Photo: Thai Rath
Home Page: A bird’s eye view of the demonstration at Sanam Luang on September 19, 2020 released by an anonymous member of Free Youth group and shared by Thai Rath.
