Activists rallied at Government House on Tuesday to demand a quick and straightforward investigation into the death of their colleague Netiporn Sanesangkhom during detention last week.
The group led by Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, Tanapat Kapheng and Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon also demanded bail for political detainees. As well, they called for authorities to postpone arrests and prosecution of political suspects and to speed up an amnesty law.
The group of about two dozen confronted riot police at Gate 1 of Government House and a brief scuffle ensued when some tried to enter the premises, but no arrests were reported.
Netiporn, aka Boong, had a heart attack at 6.30am on May 14 at the Central Correctional Hospital. The Department of Corrections has said that resuscitation attempts began immediately and continued as she was rushed to Thammasat University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11.22pm.
A core leader of the Thalu Wang protest group, Netiporn, 28, had been imprisoned at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution since Jan 26, after her bail was revoked in connection with a lese-majeste charge.
She began a hunger strike the day after entering prison, calling for bail rights and the release of other political detainees. The department said she began taking food and liquids again in early April but the lengthy hunger strike had weakened her.
Preliminary findings of an autopsy showed the main cause of Netiporn’s death was acute heart failure. Results are still pending from more laboratory tests that could determine other contributing factors.
Netiporn’s medical records were given to her family’s lawyer on Monday.
Lawyer Kritsadang Nutcharus has been pressing for more clarity about exactly what happened to Netiporn in the prison hospital. He has alleged that an endotracheal tube was inserted into her oesophagus instead of her windpipe during the resuscitation attempts.
At the Ministry of Justice on Tuesday, Dr Pongpak Areyapinan, acting director of the Central Correctional Hospital, said he was in the ambulance that carried Netiporn to Thammasat University Hospital. He said he sat in the front seat.
He did not answer when reporters asked him about the allegation made by Mr Kritsadang.
According to data from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights to April 30 this year, 1,954 people have been prosecuted for political participation and expression since the beginning of the Free Youth protests in July 2020. At least 272 are facing lese-majeste charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and 152 have been charged with sedition under Section 116.
