By : Gabrielle Kabei
Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters gathered again in the Thai capital Bangkok on Thursday in mass defiance of the government which had issued a decree banning demonstrations. They called for the release of at least 20 activists arrested on Thursday in a sweeping crackdown by police. “The Thai authorities should immediately drop all charges and unconditionally release democracy activists arrested for peacefully protesting in Bangkok on October 13, 2020” said Human Rights Watch.
Pic 1.1 : A pro-democracy protester flashes a three-finger salute during a protest against the government near the Democracy Monument in Bangkok, Thailand, October 13, 2020
Previously, the police had arrested 21 of the approximately 200 protesters, including the protest leader, Jatuphat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa. The protesters were being detained for interrogation at the 1st Region Border Patrol Police Camp in Pathumthani province, north of Bangkok. The police have prevented lawyers from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights from meeting with the arrested activists
A pro-democracy protester flashes a three-finger salute during a protest against the government near the Democracy Monument in Bangkok, Thailand, October 13, 2020. But, suddenly in the early hours of Thursday morning, the government had attempted to curtail the student-led protest movement by issuing an emergency decree banning gatherings of more than four people and arresting about 20 activists - taking the total number of arrests this week to about 40. The months of protests leading up to the emergency decree issued on Thursday represent the biggest challenge in years to Thailand's establishment, which is dominated by the military and royal palace. On Wednesday, protesters jeered and held up the three-finger salute as a motorcade passed carrying the queen through Bangkok.
Pic 1.2 : Many protesters held their fingers up in a three-finger salute, which has become a symbol of the movement
The proximity of the demonstration to the royal convoy was cited by the government in a televised address as one of the reasons for the emergency decree. But the protesters ignored the new rules on Thursday afternoon to once again gather in their thousands. "Like dogs cornered, we are fighting till our deaths," Panupong "Mike Rayong" Jadnok, one the high-profile protest leaders who remains free, told the crowd. "We won't fall back. We won't run away. We won't go anywhere."
Police appealed to the crowd to disperse, eventually setting a 18:00 curfew. "The people who came know that there is a ban against public gathering of five or more," said police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen. "We will take things step by step." Many protesters held their fingers up in a three-finger salute, which has become a symbol of the movement. Actually, since July 18, youth-led coalitions have organized peaceful protests across Thailand calling for the dissolution of Parliament, a new constitution, and an end to authorities harassing people who exercise their right to freedom of expression.
“The Thai government’s breakup of a peaceful democracy protest at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument just proved the protesters’ point, The charges against the protesters should be dropped and they should be immediately and unconditionally released. The Democracy Monument arrests raise serious concerns that the government will impose even harsher repression of people’s fundamental freedoms in Thailand,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Thailand’s international friends should call on the government to stop arresting peaceful protesters, listen to their views, and allow them to freely and safely express their visions for the future.”
Source :
Human Right Watch, 2020, “Thailand : Over 20 Democracy Activits Arrested” https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/13/thailand-over-20-democracy-activists-arrested
BBC News, 2020, “Thai protests: Tens of thousands gather again in mass defiance of government” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54548988
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