Regional News
Thai Junta Files Charges Against 50 Pro Democracy Protesters
An activist addresses the crowd during a protest close to the democracy monument in Bangkok, Thailand. Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018
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BANGKOK – Thailand’s Military Junta headed by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has filed police complaints against 50 people for taking part in an allegedly illegal demonstration near Democracy Monument last Saturday.
The accused include seven leaders of the demonstration, who have accused the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) of attempting to stay in power by postponing the next election.
Colonel Burin Thongprapai, an NCPO official, filed a complaint at Bangkok’s Nang Loeng Police Station against six leaders on Tuesday, and another against the seventh leader and 43 other protesters on Wednesday, a source said on Thursday.
The seven accused leaders were identified as Rangsiman Rome, Sirawit Serithiwat, Kant Pongprapan, Anon Nampa, Nutta Mahattana, Sakrit Piansuwan and Chonthicha Jangrew.
They were accused of leading a demonstration that violated a junta ban on political gatherings and instigating disturbances.
The 43 other protesters were accused of violating the junta ban against political gatherings of five people or more.
Most of them were accused of having links to the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), according to the source, who added that they had been monitored by authorities.
Source: The Nation
