A military court is likely to reject bail requests for 26 defendants facing terrorism charges for their alleged ties to a militant red-shirt group, their lawyers say.
On Friday at 10am, a court order was sent to Khon Kaen Central Prison formally charging all 26 suspects on nine counts. This includes violations of National Council for Peace and Order directives on public gatherings of more than five people, as well as collecting arms or conspiring to terrorise or knowing the terrorists and committing acts to protect fellow conspirators.
The firearms charge violates Section 78 of the 1947 Act Controlling Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation of Firearms and carries a maximum sentence of death.
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On May 23, a military force raided a hotel in Khon Kaen and arrested 22 people who were allegedly meeting to plan violence in response to the coup. Soldiers linked them to hardline red shirts. Authorities expanded the investigation, arresting more suspects and seizing weapons in other provinces.
All defendants will appear in the military court for the first time on Oct 21, where they will have to enter a plea to the nine charges.
Lawyers on Friday filed bail requests at the court. The results will be known tomorrow. Most of the suspects' relatives are expected to prepare land deeds as collateral for bail valued at 400,000 baht or more.
"However, it is likely the court will reject the bail requests due to the seriousness of the charges," said Winyat Chatmontree, secretary of Free Thai Legal Aid, whose lawyers are providing pro bono legal services to seven of the suspects. "Whether or not they will be temporarily released might also depend on the policies of the NCPO."
On May 25, the NCPO issued an order that empowered military courts to try cases against civilians suspected of committing lese majeste and internal security offences.
The Asian Human Rights Commission responded in a June statement that the order is a giant leap backwards for human rights in Thailand. It added that governments in Thailand, including juntas, have not used military courts to try civilians since October 1976.