A coordinator with the non-profit organisation Assembly of the Poor (AOP) was charged yesterday with inciting public unrest for allegedly supporting 14 students from the New Democracy Movement (NDM).
Baramee Chairat, a coordinator of the Assembly of the Poor, is cheered by his supporters as he turns up at Samran Rat police station in Bangkok to hear charges that he allegedly provided shelter to 14 students of the New Democracy Movement. Apichart Jinakul
Baramee Chairat, who works with the AOP to help poor farmers, yesterday showed up at Samran Rat police station in Phra Nakhon district to hear a charge laid against him under Section 116 of the Criminal Code, which forbids inciting public unrest.
Mr Baramee allegedly provided shelter for 14 students of the NDM who were arrested on June 25.
The 14 students were charged with defying a National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) directive under Section 44 of the interim constitution prohibiting political gatherings of five people or more, and for violating Section 116 of the Criminal Code.
They were released early last month after 12 days of detention.
The 14 student activists vowed to continue their fight and seek trial in a civilian court, instead of the military court, claiming a military court lacks the authority to try civilians.
The students also said they would reject all NCPO-issued rules and directives, arguing the military government had illegally seized power, so its orders were invalid.
Mr Baramee said he had no idea why charges are being held against him, as both he and the students have the right to express their views under the constitution. He said the charges might have been brought against him as part of a political vendetta.
Several AOP members also accompanied Mr Baramee to the station to provide moral support.
The assembly called on the government to withdraw the charges against Mr Baramee and the NDM students, and stop using military force and unfairly enforcing laws on the poor, who they said will continue to fight for their rights.
They also requested the government return sovereignty to people in the country as quickly as possible.
The AOP's requests were echoed by 13 civil group networks in the Northeast, led by the northeastern Non-Government Organisation Coordinating Committee on Development (NGO-COD). The groups yesterday urged the government not to prosecute the AOP coordinator and return freedom of speech to people.
Joining the calls, Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International's Deputy Asia Pacific Director, said the charges run counter to human rights. Amnesty has submitted a petition to the Royal Thai Police Office and the Foreign Ministry, demanding the government retract the charges.