By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich |
<div>Amnesty International and the National Human Rights Commission visited the 14 embattled anti-junta activists at Bangkok prisons on Thursday, while about a hundred people gathered to offer moral support to the jailed activists.</div>
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<div>The activists, mostly students, protested against the junta and had been arrested for their nonviolent protests on 26 June. </div>
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<div>On Thursday, two representatives from Amnesty International visited the activists and issued an urgent action to call for the activists’ release.</div>
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<p>The Thai authorities have put 13 of the 14 anti-junta activists into separate prison cells, a decision which the activists in detention have protested, saying that it has political implications.</p>
<p>On Thursday, 2 June 2015, Bangkok Remand Prison separated the 13 male anti-junta activists in custody into groups of 2-3 and detained them in different compounds of the prison.</p>
<p>National Human Rights Commissioner Niran Phithakwatchara and members of an NHRC subcommittee have been accused of lèse majesté by the head of Kaeng Krachan National Park after they intervened in a project, which the park claims was implemented in honour of the King.</p>
<p>On 3 May, National Human Rights Commissioner Dr Niran Phithakwatchara testified as the last defence witness in the lèse majesté trial of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk. The Criminal Court set 19 Sept for the prosecution and defence to hear its decision on when the verdict would be delivered, as the defence team had sought a ruling from the Constitution Court on the constitutionality of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lèse majesté law.</p>
<p>Current and former National Human Rights Commissioners are concerned about changes made by the Council of State to a new law governing the independent body. The Commission will be prohibited from revealing any information about cases under ongoing investigation, while it will be authorized to pursue court cases on behalf of those whose rights are violated.</p>