BANGKOK, May 6 (Bernama): Thai human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa
(pic) who was jailed without bail since February has contracted COVID-19 while in custody, the Department of Corrections said.
The 36-year-old Arnon, charged under Section 112 of the country s Penal Code, also known as lèse-majesté for insulting the monarchy in demonstrations last year, was tested positive on Wednesday.
Local media reported that Anon believed to have caught the virus from another detained protester Chukiat Sangwong, who was tested positive on April 23. At present, he is receiving treatment at the prison hospital.
Arnon is one of the key leaders behind the anti-government protests rallying in Bangkok reiterating their demands for political change, including for the Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-O-Cha to step down, the dissolution of Parliament, rewriting of the Constitution and monarchy reform.
Penguin dares to dream of better things
2
2 Parit Penguin Chiwarak along with another 21 political activists are taken into detention last September as they await trial on sedition and lese majeste charges.
I have met political activist Parit Penguin Chiwarak twice in my career as a journalist. The first was five years ago when Parit was a precocious high school student at Triam Udom Suksa, a well-known high school in Bangkok. At that time, he had launched a campaign against the Thai education system that teaches students to be submissive.
The second time was last year, when he become a big shot on the Thai political landscape a prominent protest leader. His campaign this time was bold, ambitious and controversial including a demand for reform of the monarchy and an amendment to the constitution that he said leads to unfair elections, opening the door to former coup maker and current prime minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to return as prime m
Hunger-striking Thai activist in critical condition
Parit Penguin Chiwarak was hospitalized late last week after his condition deteriorated
Updated: May 03, 2021 04:59 AM GMT
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A pro-democracy protester prepares to throw a water balloon during an anti-government demonstration calling for the release of detained political activists outside the Criminal Court in Bangkok on May 2. (Photo: AFP)
A prominent young pro-democracy activist is in hospital, reportedly in a critical condition, after a 46-day hunger strike he staged in prison in protest at Thai authorities’ refusal to grant bail to him and other political dissidents.
Parit Chiwarak, a 23-year-old university student popularly known by his nickname Penguin, was arrested earlier this year over his leadership role in student-led street protests last year during which participants called for political reforms and urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former army chief who seized power in a coup in May 2014, to res
savage and vindictive higher-ups.
Kritsadang revealed that:
he visited Parit on 28 April and spoke to him through teleconference. During the visit, Parit told Kritsadang that he has
not been able to sleep, his skin is dry, and that he suffers from nausea and fatigue.
Blood was also found in his stools, but he has not been sent to the Medical Correctional Institution to have his condition assessed.
The court exhibited a
Meanwhile the “Department of Corrections has denied that Parit’s condition has worsened…”.
The ruling to deny bail was “signed by judge Tawan Rodcharoen. Judge Tawan delivered the verdict in the Joe Gordon lèse majesté case in 2011.” Joe had repeated bail requests denied. When he finally agreed to plead guilty and he was sentenced to 5 years.
Activists call for foreign monitors
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published : 1 May 2021 at 07:11 Anti-government protesters attend a demonstration at the Criminal Court on Friday. (Reuters photo)
A network of protest groups has handed letters to foreign embassies asking diplomats to visit seven Ratsadon group co-leaders and monitor their condition in prison.
Members of the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, the Free Youth group, the Ratsadon group, the We Volunteer group, and the Democracy Restoration group handed the letters in at the United States, German and Swiss embassies.
Siraphob Attohi, a protest leader, said that the letters, written in English, ask embassy representatives to specifically check on the conditions of Parit Penguin Chiwarak and Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, who have been on hunger strike for more than a month, and ensure that they are properly treated while in prison.