Anon, 'Mike' freed after police withdrew requests

Anon, 'Mike' freed after police withdrew requests

Lawyer Anon Nampa (left) and student activist Panupong 'Mike' Jadnok shows a symbol of their pro-democracy protest after being released from Bangkok REmand Prison in Bangkok on Monday evening. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)
Lawyer Anon Nampa (left) and student activist Panupong 'Mike' Jadnok shows a symbol of their pro-democracy protest after being released from Bangkok REmand Prison in Bangkok on Monday evening. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)

Human rights lawyer Anon Nampa and student activist Panupong "Mike" Jadnok have been released after police cancelled their detention requests.

The Criminal Court said in a statement on Monday afternoon Samran Rat police had asked it to cancel the detention of the pair, saying their investigation had progressed satisfactorily.

The pair faced multiple charges, including sedition of which maximum penalty is seven years in jail, for their roles during the Free Youth rally at the Democracy Monument on July 18.

Police sought court orders to detain both men on Aug 7. The court approved them the next day and allowed them bail with no cash requirement. The only condition was that they stop acting in the same manner that led to their arrests.

Both had since continued to participate at rallies and police on Thursday asked the court to revoke their temporary releases, citing violations of the term of their releases.

The court agreed with the police in both cases. In Mr Anon's case, it revoked his bail but allowed him to reapply. In Mr Panupong's case, the court did not revoke his bail but required 200,000 baht in cash as a surety.

Refusing to give up their fundamental rights for freedom, Mr Anon did not re-apply for bail and Mr Panupong did not put up the money so both ended up in cells at Bangkok Remand Prison.

Since then, a small group of fellow activists rallied in front of the prison almost every night, demanding their releases. Critics also viewed the detention as unfair — the term requiring them to stop acting in the same manner that led to their arrests ran against the presumption of innocence principle and served only to gag them.

The government on Monday defended its treatment of the activists after Amnesty Internation urged its members worldwide to send letters to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha urging the releases of activists.

In a statement, police claimed they have acted within the legal framework and refrained from using violence in dealing with them.

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