OAG urged to act on PDRC protest case

Prosecutors should hasten moves to indict almost 50 members of the defunct People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) for their actions during the group’s political protest between 2013 and 2014, a lawyer says.

Winyat Chatmontri, secretary-general of the United Lawyers for Rights and Liberty, was speaking as he and his working team yesterday turned up at the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG), where they submitted a petition, asking the office to hasten indictments against the PDRC members.

Suthep Thaugsuban, former leader of the PDRC anti-government protest movement, is among 48 suspects facing multiple charges, including insurrection, in connection with their rally against the Yingluck Shinawatra government.

According to Mr Winyat’s petition, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which probed the case, had summoned the suspects to acknowledge the charges and submitted additional probe documents to prosecutors.

There was no reason why the OAG’s working panel in charge should delay the indictment, he said.

Viroon Chantananan, chief of the OAG’s Department of Special Litigation 4, said the petition will be vetted and presented to the panel in charge of the case.

Mr Viroon said the probe into the case has only one issue left, which concerns the views of experts. However, he noted the suspects also sought justice, asking the OAG to re-examine the case. They would look into the matter.

Mr Winyat said he asked the OAG to disclose the members of the working panel in charge of the case in line with the Official Information Act. Referring to the prosecutors’ decision to heed the views of experts, the lawyer said the DSI’s probe should be enough to determine what happened.

The attorney-general must instruct the panel to hasten its work. If they fail to take steps in the next two weeks, he would petition the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to step in.