Two ailing young political activists on hunger strike since last month have refused to sign in acknowledgment of court bail approved on the application of the hospital treating them, after bail requests for eight other political detainees were refused.
The Criminal Court on Tuesday approved the bail application for the two women, who are being treated while in custody at Thammasat University Hospital, but rejected the bail requests for the eight other political detainees.
A third hunger striker’s appeal for bail was rejected by the Appeal Court.
Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon and Orawan “Bam” Phuphong declined to sign the release papers. They said they were not aware of any such move by the hospital or of the court’s decision, and were determined to continue their fast untill all political detainees were released on bail, according to a statement issued by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
According to the statement, their lawyer told them on Tuesday that the director of Thammasat University Hospital submitted the application to the Criminal Court and the Bangkok South Criminal Court for their release, saying they were in critical condition.
The lawyer also informed them about the court's rejection of bail requests for the eight political detainees whose release was demanded by Ms Tantawan and Ms Orawan when they began their hunger strike.
The Appeal Court rejected a bail application by Sitthichok Sethasavet, who is also being treated at Thammasat University Hospital. The activist has been convicted on lese majeste and other charges he continues to deny and is appealing.
Ms Tantawan, 21, and Ms Orawan, 23, are facing royal defamation charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code for taking a public poll last year about royal motorcades.
They went to court on Jan 16 and requested the revocation of their bail as a gesture of solidarity with other detained colleagues. They began their hunger strike two days later while in custody.
In May last year, the Criminal Court approved the release of Ms Tantawan, charged with lese majeste for running the opinion poll on royal motorcade after her third application for bail was made.
Ms Tantawan had been on a hunger strike for the past 37 days in protest at her detention and for the right to bail for herself and other detained activists.