Thailand’s Criminal Court this afternoon denied bail to two young activists one day after the hunger-striking pair collapsed in court.
Pro-democracy activists – Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom and Nutthanit “Bai Por” Duangmusit – were deemed by the court to be in good health and refused bail despite the fact they were hospitalized yesterday after nearly 50 days on a hunger strike.
In its ruling, the court cited their “normal” condition to again deny bail to both, who have spent over two months behind bars awaiting trial, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
Members of monarchy reform activist group Thaluwang; Netiporn, 26; and Nutthanit, 21; have been held since May for polling public opinions on the royal motorcades which are known to snarl traffic.
One of the crimes they have been charged with is lese majeste, or insulting the monarchy. It is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The two activists have been on a hunger strike to protest their detention since June 2.
After hunger striking for 47 days, the pair collapsed Monday during a court hearing. According to lawyer Krisadang Nutcharat, the pair suffered severe stomach pain and fatigue. They were sent to a hospital afterward.
A major human rights group issued a statement calling on the Thai authorities to release the young activists, saying their prolonged pretrial detention was “unnecessary.”
“Thai authorities should drop the politically motivated cases against Netiporn, Nutthanit, and others charged for their peaceful protests to reform the monarchy,” said John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. “The Thai government is harshly punishing these activists by unnecessarily holding them in prolonged pretrial detention instead of releasing them prior to trial.”
Another rights group, Amnesty International Thailand, has set up a platform for people to write a letter to Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin to demand the release of the two activists.
On May 26, the Criminal Court granted bail to 20-year-old activist Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon, who was said to be seriously ill after a 37-day hunger strike. She was arrested along with Netiporn and Nutthanit for conducting the same poll in February.
Upon release, Tantawan was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment. She was then placed under house arrest to await trial on charges she insulted the monarchy. Among the conditions were that she wear a monitoring device, not leave her residence without court permission, and not do anything deemed to “insult” the royal family.
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