Twenty-nine prison inmates, including three ageing former leaders of the defunct People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protest movement, have been released under a royal pardon marking the birthday in December of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Medical Correctional Hospital director Wattanachai Mingbancherdsuk said.
The three former PAD core members are Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Amornrat Amornrattananont alias Ratchayut Sirayothinpakdi, and Therdphum Chaidee.
Dr Wattanachai said the 29 inmates were released at a ceremony held at the Medical Correctional Hospital on Tuesday morning. All tested negative for Covid-19.
The three former PAD leaders are old and suffer from chronic disease. Chaiwat, 72, has glaucoma in both eyes; Therdphum, 72, has kidney disease; and Amorn, 62, has diabetes, he said.
They were indicted along with six other protest leaders in December 2015 on charges of sedition, inciting public chaos, illegal assembly and weapons offences, after leading PAD protesters to government buildings between May and October of 2008.
The proceedings were dragged out.
On Aug 31, 2021, the Supreme Court sentenced them each to eight months in prison.
In July 2017, the Criminal Court cleared the other six defendants of the charges, saying they were redundant. The six were Chamlong Srimuang, Sondhi Limthongkul, Pibhop Dhongchai, Somkiat Pongpaibul, Somsak Kosaisuk and Suriyasai Katasila.