Activists ready to respond to political assembly charges

Around a dozen activists, calling themselves the MBK 39, stood in front of the station yesterday, holding banners saying: “We will surely come on February 8,” to show their intention to report.
They have been charged with breaking the junta’s ban on political gatherings of five or more people, and the public assembly bill that prohibits gathering within 150 metres of royal palaces.
Seven of them were also accused of allegedly violating Criminal Code Article 116 on sedition for calling on the junta government to hold the much-prolonged election.
The assembly took place near the MBK shopping centre – hence the nickname – on January 27, days after the junta-appointed legislators decided to delay promulgation of the MP election bill draft by 90 days.
The group also included two journalists, Sa-nguan Khumrungroj and Noppakao Kongsuwan, who were reporting on the assembly.
Nuttaa Mahattana, one of the activists, said that reporting to police would mean that they could face detention and might have to seek bail. “But our best expectation is that no one would be detained for we have shown no intention to flee from the charges,” Nuttaa said.
The Thai Academic Network for Civil Rights said on Tuesday night that they have collected Bt615,639 in donations to prepare for bail for all 39 activists. They also sought 39 academics to post the bail.
Yesterday, Nuttaa also filed a petition asking the National Human Rights Commission to observe the event and keep track of infringements committed by the junta government.
Under the junta’s ruling atmosphere, she said, there have been infringements of people’s civil and political rights and the right to a fair trial.
“Our group intended to report to the police from the beginning and has learned that the police would ask for the court’s permission to detain us. We decided to ask for the report postponement via our lawyers,” she said in a letter 
“Instead, our requests were ignored and the police issued the second summons against us. Already treated like we’re guilty, we have lost the right to prepare ourselves to fight the cases,” she said.
As the group was unable to hold a press conference on Tuesday due to police suppression, the authorities also appear to be infringing on press freedom, she added.
Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai Party yesterday called on authorities to stop prosecuting participants of the assemblies.
It has also called for the junta to revoke its ban against political gatherings of five or more people, an order that has stopped all political parties from making official moves since soon after the 2014 coup.
“Given that the government and the National Council for Peace and Order do not keep promises and have a tendency to extend their stay in power, people have every right to doubt them and seek their deprived rights and freedom,” the party said in a statement.
“We don’t see how these assemblies contain violence or the use of arms,” the party said. “The charges are too severe and very unfair.”