Protesters handled within confines of the law, insist police
Of the 140 people arrested in relation to pro-democracy protests in 26 provinces, 85 of the arrests are in Bangkok alone.
Bangkok’s deputy police chief Piya Tawichai said of the 140, 79 protesters face the charge of organising gatherings of 10 or more people and inciting political unrest, 68 for violating the emergency decree, three for violating Section 110 (violence against the Queen), 13 for violating Section 116 (sedition) and two for violating other laws.
Some protesters face more than one charge.
Pol Colonel Kritsana Pattanacharoen, deputy police spokesman, said protesters have the right to rally but need to respect the law, adding that police does not have double standards.
As for the National Human Rights Commission’s concerns about violence against protesters, he insisted that police had strictly followed the procedure.
He also said that the authorities are looking into the case of Wanchalerm Satsaksit, a political exile who was mysteriously kidnapped on June 4 from a street in the Cambodian capital.