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The military court granted bail to a red shirt woman accused of defaming the Thai junta leader.

At around 12 am on Monday, the Bangkok Military Court granted 100,000 baht bail to Rinda Parichabutr, a red shirt woman nicknamed “Lin,” 45, who was arrested last week for spreading a false rumour through social networks that Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister, and his wife sent about 10 billion baht to a secret bank account in Singapore.

Bail was granted on condition that the suspect must not participate in any political activity and is prohibited from leaving the country.

Military officers arrested Rinda without a warrant on 8 July and detained her incommunicado for a night at a military base before transferring her to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) the next day.

The police charged the red shirt woman under Articles 116 and 348 of the Penal Code, the laws on sedition and on spreading rumours that might cause public panic.

In addition, Rinda is charged under Article 14/2 of the Computer Crime Act for importing false information into the internet. If found guilty under Article 116 alone, she could face up to seven years’ imprisonment.

Rinda is a single mother of a 13-year-old daughter and a son of seven.

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