Nine student unions slam courts for abandoning duty to protect citizens rights
Student leaders from nine universities across the country issued a joint statement on Friday, denouncing the Constitutional Court’s ruling that prevents any amendment to Article 112, also known as lese majeste law.
The ruling sets a distorted standard in Thai politics and the law is abused as a political weapon, their statement said. It was endorsed by student unions from Thammasat, Chulalongkorn, Srinakharinwirot, Kasetsart, Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen universities, among others.
The statement criticised the Thai judiciary, saying that the courts had abandoned their role as a protector of citizens' rights and freedom, to interfere in politics, ever since the 2006 coup. The unions outlined their concern that the ruling would lead to more political persecution or dissolution of political parties.
Student unions were and have played a big part in Thai non-parliamentary politics. It was after the crackdown on student demonstrators on October 6, 1976 that Article 112 was amended, increasing its punishment to the current mandate of 3-15 years, from a maximum of 7 years.
In 2020, student demonstrators took to the streets, demanding amendments to Article 112 and the monarchy as a whole.
