Amnesty urged for all pro-democracy activists, including those as yet put behind bars

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

AN OPPOSITION MP today (Feb.18) called on the coalition government to manage granting amnesty for all pro-democracy activists, specifically those who may be currently detained under lese majeste or other politically related lawsuits.

During the second day of censure debate on the performances of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his cabinet members, Move Forward MP Amarat Chokepamitkul urged the government to take steps to have those lese majeste and related lawsuits filed against a reported total of 1,767 pro-democracy activists lifted and amnesty granted sooner than later.

Of that total, 169 defendants were accused of lese majeste charges with some having been released under bail and others yet remaining behind bars, Amarat said.

Currently detained on lese majeste and sedition charges are human rights lawyer Anon Nampa and student activist Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, among others, while those who have been released under bail included pro-democracy activists Panupong Jadnok, Chatupat Boonpatraraksa and Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, among others.

Amarat commented the arrests of those pro-democracy activists signified a “dark age” which has obviously prevailed over this country and that it is time the government and elite class seriously took the sought-after amnesty for them all into account.

According to the Move Forward lawmaker, many people who had been prosecuted in politically related cases were given amnesty during the time of former premier Kriangsak Chomanan in 1978.

She compared the politically related cases filed against the pro-democracy protesters to rebel lawsuits lodged against army generals held responsible for aborted coup attempts over the past several decades only to see them all finally given amnesty.

CAPTION:

Top: Protesters near Government House on Oct 21, 2020. Photo: Thai Rath

Below: Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak giving the three-finger salute recently. Photo: Thai Rath

Home Page: Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul outside the Constitutional Court recently. Photo by Jack Taylor / AFP and published by Sanook.com