Activists 'Mind', 'Por', 7 others hear lese majeste charges

Activists 'Mind', 'Por', 7 others hear lese majeste charges

Patsaravalee
Patsaravalee "Mind" Tanakitvibulpon, co-leader of the Mahanakorn for Democracy Group, and 8 other demonstrators report to police at Thung Mahamek police station in Bangkok on Tuesday to acknowledge lese majeste charges in connection with the Germany embassy rally in October. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)

Pro-democracy activists Patsaravalee "Mind" Tanakitvibulpon, Korakot "Por'' Saengyenphan and seven others reported to Thung Mahamek police on Tuesday to hear lese majeste charges arising from the Oct 26 rally outside German embassy.

Police said 13 demonstrators in total face lese majeste charges.

Ms Patsaravalee, 25, co-leader of the Mahanakorn for Democracy Group, Mr Korakot, 28, co-leader of the New Democracy Movement Group, and their co-accused arrived at Thung Mahamek police station around 9.30am. They reported to Pol Col Pithak Sutthikul, chief of the station. 

The nine were accompanied by Supanat Boonsod from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre. They were charged with violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code in remarks made during the German embassy rally on Oct 26.

A large crowd marched to the Germany embassy on the evening of Oct 26 to ask Berlin to look into whether His Majesty the King had violated German sovereignty by exercising his power on German soil.

Mr Supanat said some of the nine accused were earlier summonsed to acknowledge sedition charges under Section 116 of the Criminal Code.  On Tuesday, more demonstrators were issued with summonses on sedition charges, the lawyer said.  

All would deny the charges and they were expected to be freed without having to make a court appearance, he said.

A source said four political activists -- Chonlathit Chotsawat, Ms Benja Apan, Watcharakorn Chaikaew and Nawat Liangwattana -- had reported to police on Nov 5 to acknowledge sedition charges.

The Bangkok police chief said on Tuesday that lese majeste complaints have been filed against 13 protest leaders and demonstrators in connection with the Germany embassy rally. Four more would answer charges on Wednesday.

Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Pol Lt Gen Pakapong Pongpetra said a police panel set up to look into the complaints had found evidence of offences committed by those 13 demonstrators under Section 112 of the Criminal Code.

Nine had been asked to report to Thung Mahamek police on Tuesday, and the others on Wednesday.

Police were also taking action against 19 people over the  removal of razor-wire fencing at Uruphong intersection in Phaya Thai district, including the head rally guard, Piyarat Chongthep.

They face charges of resisting police and obstruction of police doing their duty, illegal assembly causing chaos, destruction of property and defying orders by refusing to end the gathering, the Bangkok police chief said.

Authorities were considering other charges against other demonstrators.

Supanat Boonsod, from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre, accompanied the nine demonstrators to Thung Mahamek police station on Tuesday. (Photo supplied/ Wassayos Ngamkham)

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