Hunger striking democracy activists freed on bail

Activists Netiporn
Activists Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom (left) and Natthanit “Bai Por” Duangmusit. (Photo from @TLHR2014 Twitter account)

Two activists kept on royal defamation charges were liberated on bail by the Bangkok South Unlawful Court on Thursday night, lawyers said, following the women had gone on hunger strike intended for 64 days.

Natthanit “Bai Por” Duangmusit, 20, and Netiporn “Bung” Sanesangkhom, 26, members of Thaluwang, a pro-democracy group that advocates reform of the monarchy, were both extremely weak, individual rights lawyer Krisadang Nutcharus told AFP.

The pair had been within custody for more compared to three months, awaiting test under the kingdom’s lese majeste laws.

“Their problem is not well, ” said Mr Krisadang.

Footage showed them becoming taken from the Central Women Correctional Instituetion in an ambulance.

“They have not been given guilty verdicts, ” the attorney said.

Thailand’s lese majeste laws have long drawn criticism through human rights activists, who say they may be overly broad plus misused to control debate.

Use of the legislation slowed down for several years, but indexed again when youth-led street protests sprung up in 2020, calling for democratic change and reforms to the monarchy.

More than two hundred lese majeste situations have been brought given that November 2020, based on the Thai Lawyers meant for Human Rights team.

Certainty under the royal defamation law carries a prison term of up to fifteen years. Some activists face multiple fees that could result in consecutive sentences lasting for decades.