<p>Thai&nbsp;authorities should immediately drop all charges and unconditionally release prominent pro-democracy activists arbitrarily detained for their role in peaceful protests, Human Rights Watch said on 20 August.</p>

<p>A human rights defender charged with sedition for supporting the 14 anti-junta activists has denied the charges while a large crowd of supporters demanded that the authorities drop the charges against him.</p> <p>Baramee Chairat, a recently re-elected member of the board of Amnesty International Thailand (AI Thailand) and a coordinator of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.prachatai.org/english/category/assembly-of-the-poor">Assembly of the Poor (AOP)</a>, on Wednesday morning, 5 August 2015, went to Samranrat Police Station for interrogation.</p>

<p>A Thai police officer has accused a board member of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amnesty.or.th/">Amnesty International Thailand</a>&nbsp;(AI Thailand) of sedition for showing support for the 14 embattled anti-junta activists. &nbsp;</p> <p>Baramee Chairat, a recently re-elected member of the board of AI Thailand and a coordinator of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.prachatai.org/english/category/assembly-of-the-poor">Assembly of the Poor (AOF)</a>, told Prachatai that on Monday, 6 July 2015, he received a summons from Samranrat Police Station in Bangkok.</p>

<p>The Thai authorities in Isan, Thailand’s Northeast, have announced a plan to reforest extensive areas amid concerns from the poor, who fear that the policy might affect their livelihoods. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Boonsong Techamanisatit, Governor of the northeastern province of Sakon Nakhon, on Tuesday morning announced a new policy to reclaim about 15,700 rai (25.12 sq.km) of land in an attempt to reforest areas in Phu Phan National Park, Phu Pha Lek National Park, and other protected forests in the province.</p>