By Thai Newsroom Reporters
MOVE FORWARD LEADER Pita Limjaroenrat today (Jan.24) reconfirmed his party will certainly push for amendment to the lese majeste law in the wake of a couple of woman activists staging a severe hunger strike behind bars.
Pita who visited Tantawan Tuatulanond and Orawan Pupong at the Central Women Correctional Institution’s prison today said the Move Forward will unfalteringly put forward legislation to amend the draconian lese majeste law, better known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The lese majeste and sedition laws have had 21 political activists, mostly being adolescents, detained in jail to date.
Pita suggested bail be granted unconditionally to all political detainees on a human rights basis. The Move Forward leader said the sustained imprisonment of those activists, nine of whom earlier arrested on lese majeste charges, is obviously against the human rights principles whilst court verdicts have not been delivered as yet.
“If we wish to see no more political impasse and wish to let the country move on ahead, we must grant pardon to all political detainees. There must be no more people with any opposing views being put behind bars,” he said.
The physical conditions of Tantawan and Orawan who have not only rejected meals but drinking water provided at the prison have been considered critical up to now whilst doctors were looking to get them hospitalised sooner than later.
Tantawan and Orawan had managed to revoke the bail earlier granted for them to be returned to jail alongside the other detainees whilst court proceedings are largely known as a time-consuming process.
The young woman activists have resolutely joined in persistent calls for reform of the judicial systems and abolition of the lese majeste law in addition to the unconditional release of all political detainees.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat. Photo: INN News
Front Page: Activists Tantawan Tuatulanond and Orawan Pupong who are on severe hunger strike in jail. Photo: Matichon
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