Activist held as court takes case for trial

Student activist Rangsiman Rome was detained in Khao Kaen yesterday after military judges accepted a case in which he was accused of taking part in a political gathering in defiance of a regime order at Khon Kaen University two years ago.

He was earlier indicted by prosecutors for allegedly breaching the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) edict banning political gatherings of more than five people.

Following the Khon Kaen-based 23rd Military Circle Court’s acceptance of the case yesterday, he was immediately taken to the court before being whisked off to the Khon Kaen Special Detention Facility.

His team of lawyers was yesterday preparing a bail request.

Pawinee Chumsri, a lawyer from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group, said yesterday that Mr Rangsiman was picked up by Pathumwan police in Bangkok under an arrest warrant for his alleged involvement in staging an event called Freedom Under the Constitution at the university’s Faculty of Agriculture on July 31, 2016.

City police later handed him to Muang Khon Kaen police. He was released on bail before returning to local police custody again yesterday after investigators passed the case report to prosecutors who brought it to the court, she said.

Besides Mr Rangsiman, eight others, including Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, widely known as Pai Dao Din, also face trial in the same case. All have denied the charges.

The eight were also taken to court for the defendants’ examination of witnesses and evidence yesterday.

Ms Pawinee said that despite the nine suspects facing the same charge, Mr Rangsiman was to be tried separately because he was indicted on a different date to the others. His lawyers hope Mr Rangsiman could be tried with the others.