Right groups urge junta to free ‘prisoner of conscience’

Amnesty International, describing Watana as a “prisoner of conscience”, said this was the third time he “has been held in military detention without charge or trial on the basis of his peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression.”

In its statement dated Tuesday, Amnesty International also urged people to write to Thai authorities calling for immediate and unconditional release of Watana.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch yesterday condemned the junta for Watana’s detention and called for his immediate release. HRW said the NCPO showed its intolerance to criticism and opposition by arresting and detaining Watana simply for publicly opposing the draft constitution. “The Thai junta, by gagging a prominent critic, has heightened the climate of fear ahead of the constitutional referendum,” said HRW’s Asia director Brad Adams. 

“The detention of Watana Muangsook for openly opposing the draft charter is a clear warning that the junta is prepared to use intimidation and arrests to get [its] way in the referendum,” he said.

Also yesterday, the detained politician’s daughter Weerada Muangsook, submitted a letter to the US Embassy, requesting the US investigate whether the NCPO violated human rights in dealing with her father. There was a large presence of Special Branch police officers at the embassy when Watana’s daughter entered the compound. Weerada had made similar appeals to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the European Union recently. 

The politician’s family planned to visit him today at 9th Infantry Division headquarters in Kanchanaburi province. It was also reported that red-shirt leaders including Jatuporn Prompan and Nuttawut Saikuar would also visit Watana at the military camp.

The NCPO was convinced some people were pulling strings behind Weerada’s moves, in a well-coordinated attempt to involve foreign countries and international organisations, its spokesman Colonel Piyapong Klinpan said yesterday.

“The goal is to involve foreigners to pressure the NCPO. We have no worries because we believe that foreign countries and organisations have a good understanding of the NCPO’s work,” he said.

Piyapong said he did not think a demonstration in support of Watana by the Resistant Citizens group tomorrow would ignite widespread opposition against the NCPO. “It’s because people have become fed up with political protests,” he said.

The spokesman also said the military would allow visits by Watana’s family members only.

Watana was expected to be charged with violating an NCPO order in a day or two, according to an NCPO source.

His lawyer Narinpong Jinapak said yesterday he expected Watana to be in military detention for seven days. 

The politician was expected to appear before the Criminal Court next Monday to face accusations of violating the Computer Crime Act.

Meanwhile, anti-junta activist group Resistant Citizen staged a symbolic event for the second consecutive day yesterday, protesting against Watana’s detention at a busy skywalk adjacent to Chong Nonsi BTS station.

Activists Sirawith Serithiwat and Anon Nampa led yesterday’s event, which followed an activity at Victory Monument on Tuesday.

The seven protesters stood silently. Sirawith said if Watana was not released by noon today, “more intense activities” would follow.

After two minutes of “just standing”, the activists were taken to Yan Nawa Police Station to sign a memorandum of understanding to agree that any political assembly must be permitted by the authorities. Sirawith, however, told reporters that he would continue to hold such activities and would not seek permission because he did not accept orders imposed by the coup-makers. 

Yesterday’s event was staged during the evening peak rush hour.