Seven activists charged, released on bail

Seven activists charged, released on bail

The seven defendants in the case pose for photos in front of the Khon Kaen Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts in Khon Kaen province after being released on bail Tuesday evening. (Photo by Jakkrapan Nathanri)
The seven defendants in the case pose for photos in front of the Khon Kaen Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts in Khon Kaen province after being released on bail Tuesday evening. (Photo by Jakkrapan Nathanri)

KHON KAEN: The military court of the 23rd Military Circle on Tuesday evening released on bail seven people after they were charged with defying the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)'s ban on political gatherings.

Together with four more people, they took part in a discussion on the then draft constitution at Khon Kaen University on July 31 last year ahead of the Aug 7 referendum. Authorities viewed the event breached the NCPO's order banning political gatherings.

They were Nataporn Arthan, Duangtip Kararit, Neerayut Niamsap, Chadthai Noi-oonsaen, Panupong Sritananuwat, Narongrit Upajan, and Chatmongkol Jenchiawchan.

Earlier on Tuesday, the military prosecution pressed the charges against the seven people who showed up for the arraignment at the military court.

After the court accepted the case for trial, the defendants were sent to local prisons. The three women were sent to Khon Kaen Central Prison while the four men went to Khon Kaen Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts.

Lawyer Sasinan Thamnitinant then sought bail for them. They were released on bail of 10,000 baht each shortly after.

Another defendant in this case was Jatupat Bunpattararaksa, also known as Pai Dao Din, who is serving a 2½-year jail term after confessing to having shared a BBC Thai article on the biography of His Majesty the King on his Facebook page last year.

The other two are Dr Cherdchai Tantisirin, a former list MP of the Pheu Thai Party, and his wife Asst Prof Panwadee Tantisirin of Khon Kaen University, who confessed and agreed to an attitude-adjustment session.

The other was anti-coup student activist Rangsiman Rome, who had not come to meet interrogators and faced an arrest warrant.

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