Six pro-democracy student protesters to be charged
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SIX STUDENTS who were arrested and detained briefly for opposing the junta by publicly marking the first anniversary of the May 22 coup have been charged with violating the junta's ban on political gatherings.
Two of the students told The Nation the legal consequences they now face are disproportionate to what they did.
“We merely wanted to take 15 minutes to demonstrate, but what the police officers did to us was more violent,” Thammsat University student Rangsima Rome, a senior law student, said.
Rangsima said what they did on May 22 was not intended to create chaos or violence, but many students were still physically abused by police.
The law used against the student is a political law and destroys the rule of law and the justice system, Rangsima argued.
Rangsima and the six others have been charged with violating National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) announcement No 7/2014, which prohibits political demonstrations of more than four people.
Those who violate the order face a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to Bt20,000 – or both.
“Is there any civilised country that charges their people with this type of law? The law that prohibits a peaceful gathering surely contradicts the democratic system,” he said.
Rangsima said when he and about 30 other university students were released after the May 22 incident, police told them they would not be charged.
“Now, how can we trust these officers?” he said.
Despite what happened, Rangsima said he and the other students had not lost hope in being a positive force for democracy, because they believe that they were doing the right thing.
Songtham Kaewpanpruek, a former student of Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi and a member of the Thai Student Centre for Democracy, said the charges laid against him and the students were gravely unjust.
“It unjust that those who were physically abused [by police] are those facing charges,” Songtham said.
He explained that on May 22 he went to take photos of his friends demonstrating for their Facebook page. However when police arrested his friends and allegedly began physically assaulting them he rushed to aid them.
As a result, he said police punched him several times to the head and kicked his body, while his arms were locked by officers.
“During the attack I heard one high-ranking police officer telling other officers who were attacking me to stop but they disobeyed. I fell down then all the punches and kicks were thrown at me,” he said.
Like Rangsima, Songtham remains committed to fighting for democracy.
“I believe we do not fear this type of injustice,” he said. “Instead, it has made us recognise that they [the NCPO] have no intention of solving the country’s issues and it teaches us that we cannot trust them.”
