MBK39 election activists turn themselves in, but four are still no-shows
Thirty-five of 39 participants of the pro-election group MBK39 had reported to Pathumwan police as of 10am on Thursday.
The four who had not turned themselves in were pro-democracy activists Rangsiman Rome, Sirawith Seritiwat, and Aekachai Hongkangwan and their lawyer Anon Nampa.
Some of the activists who did show up at the police station were accompanied by lawyers and academics who planned to post bail for them.
The group, who include two journalists and students, are accused of breaking the junta’s ban against political gatherings of five or more people as well as the public assembly bill.
Nine of them, who are considered key figures in organising the assembly, have also been charged with breaking the Criminal Code’s Article 116 on sedition.
On January 27, the group gathered on a skywalk near MBK shopping centre to call for the long-delayed election to be conducted after the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly voted to delay the promulgation of the MP election bill, which is widely believed to in turn delay the election that was promised for November.
The activists who arrived at Pathumwan station yesterday were responding to a second summons issued by police, who had also threatened to object to their release on bail if the courts rule that they should be detained.
One of activists, Sombat Boonngamanong, said he would attend another event demanding the election be held on Saturday to be organised near Democracy Monument, despite the fact that he already faced three charges.
“I’ve been preparing for bail by borrowing money from my friend,” Sombat said. “My own account has been frozen since I refused to report myself to the National Council for Peace and Order soon after the 2014 coup.”
The Thai Academic Networks for Civil Rights has solicited donations to post bail for the activists, with Bt615,639 collected as of Tuesday.
