Pheu Thai deplores Watana arrest to UN

The Pheu Thai Party yesterday told the UN’s human rights body that the military’s detention of its key figure, Watana Muangsook, for comments made on Facebook was “an extreme breach of human rights”.

Visaradee Techathirawat, who represented the party, said the party sought the meeting with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Bangkok to condemn Mr Watana’s arrest.

Soldiers turned up at his home and took him away for an “attitude adjustment” session after he criticised the military for sending soldiers to follow former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and take pictures of her.

In a statement given to the UN body, Ms Visaradee said her party called on the government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to stop violating the basic human rights of students, academics and the mass media.

The party also called for better protection of human rights during the current political situation as the public discusses the draft charter ahead of the referendum.

Mr Watana, who was taken to an army facility for the “attitude adjustment” session, in which the military seeks to persuade him not to criticise the ruling junta, was released on bail yesterday.

He said he was not planning to lodge a formal complaint in response to his treatment as no physical harm was inflicted upon him, with the military officials involved treating him politely.

One group provided him a physical check-up and another conducted an “attitude adjustment” session.

He said he will continue to speak out against the military government in order to exercise his human rights and freedom of speech.

He added that should it be deemed he has broken any law, the government would be better off filing a complaint with police seeking to have him prosecuted instead of taking him from his residence and forcing him to attend such sessions.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Mr Watana had previously received warnings before actually being arrested, on a charge of violating the Computer Crime Act.

The South Bangkok Criminal Court yesterday initially approved a request by Nang Loeng police to further detain Mr Watana for 12 days.

The court, however, later agreed to grant bail on a 100,000-baht surety to Mr Watana as requested by his lawyer.

The bail was issued on the condition that Mr Watana must not travel abroad without first seeking permission from the court.

He is also required to report to the court again on March 14.