BANGKOK — Four anti-coup activists charged with violating the junta's ban on protests were released by a military court in Bangkok today.

The four defendants were charged with defying the ban after they organized a pro-democracy rally in downtown Bangkok last month. 

The four defendants include Arnon Nampha, 30, a human rights lawyer; Pansak Srithep, 48, an activist whose teenage son was killed in the 2010 crackdown on Redshirt protesters; Siriwit Serithiwat, 24, a fourth-year political science student at Thammasat University; and Wannakiat Chusuwan, 36, a taxi driver.

Siriwit Serithiwat, 24, a fourth-year political science student at Thammasat University hugs his mother after being granted release on bail, 15 March 2015.

The four men helped found the anti-coup group "Resistant Citizens," which has organized non-violent resistance against the military junta that seized power from an elected government last May.

Police escorted the activists to the military court at around 2 pm today. At around 6.30 pm, the four defendants emerged from the court, officially known as the Office of Staff Judge Advocate, and told reporters they had been released without any conditions.

In other cases, the court has required defendants to forswear partaking in political rallies or traveling outside the country in order to evade detention.

The activists' lawyer, Pavinee Chumsri, said prosecutors have not formally indicted the four men because they need more time to deliberate on the case files. 

The judge denied prosecutors' request to remand the defendants during the deliberation, said Pavinee, attorney from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

"The court reckons that the accused have clear addresses and have no intention to flee from the trial," said Pavinee.

The defendants have been ordered to return to the court on 27 March to hear whether prosecutors will formally indict them.

Speaking to the press upon his release, Arnon said he would like to thank the military court for giving him and other activists the chance to contest the charges outside prison. He declined to say whether his group will stage more rallies in the future. 

"We will focus on fighting our case in the military court in accordance with the legal process," said Arnon, who is a lawyer by profession.

While the court debated whether to detain the four men, a group of university students rallied outside to show their support for the defendants. The group passed around a loudspeaker, condemning the junta’s practice of trying civilians in martial courts, where military officers serve as judges and appeals are not permitted.

Students protest the junta's orders to try civilians in martial court, 15 March 2015.

One of the students also flashed the forbidden three-finger anti-coup salute at soldiers, who closed the gate that led to the court but did not interfere with the rally.

The students concluded their rally soon after the activists were released. 

The court hearing followed Pansak's weekend  "march for justice" from his home in Bangbuathong district to Pathumwan Police Station, where he and other defendants were scheduled to report to police today. The walk was billed as an effort to raise awareness about the junta's suppression of civil liberties. 

Pansak walking through Thammasat University campus on his way to the police station, 15 March 2015.

The march, which would have totaled 50-km, was interrupted an hour after it began when police officers detained Pansak for defying the junta's ban on political protests.

However, police released the activist later that day without charges, and allowed him to continue portions of his walk over the next two days, culminating in his arrival at Pathumwan Police Station this morning. 

Shortly after seizing power in a coup on 22 May 2014, the junta granted military courts jurisdiction over cases involving lese majeste (insulting the monarchy) and other offenses that "affect national security," including violating the junta's orders. At least 60 civilians are currently facing trials in martial court for violating the junta’s ban on public protests.

"If the accused is guilty based on complete evidence and witnesses' testimonies, the verdict will not be different regardless of what court delivers it," said the spokesperson, Col. Winthai Suwaree. 

BANGKOK — An anti-coup activist was allowed to continue his symbolic march against the military junta in Bangkok yesterday following a change of tactics from police, who had arrested him for walking on the previous day.

Police officers detained Pansak Srithep on Saturday, only an hour after he began what was supposed to be a 50-km "march for justice" in protest of the junta’s suppression of civil rights. Police said the walk was a political activity, which the junta banned after seizing power last May. Pansak was later released that afternoon without charges.

Pansak renewed his walk on Sunday, starting in Bangkok's Makkasak district, where his 17-year-old son Samapan Srithep was shot dead during the military crackdown on Redshirt protesters in May 2010. 

Pansak Srithep was allowed to continue his walk in Bangkok on 15 March, 2015.

Police officers followed Pansak throughout his walk, but made no attempts to arrest him. One of the police officers told reporters they were there to prevent any "third hand party" from picking a fight with Pansak or "causing chaos."

At the spot where Samapan was killed, now marked by a small plaque on the road, Pansak read a poem dedicated to his son. Although a court inquest investigating the cause of Samapan’s death has not been released, witnesses say he was killed by soldiers who opened fire on Redshirt protesters near Soi Ratchaprarop 18 during the crackdown on 15 May 2010.

After reading the poem, Pansak walked to the Royal Plaza and laid flowers on a small plaque that marks the spot where a group of military officers and civilians seized power from the royal government on 24 June 1932 and proclaimed Thailand a constitutional democracy. He then continued on to Thammasat University. 

Pansak is a member of an anti-coup group called Resistant Citizens that has organized non-violent resistance against the junta. The groups says its name is a tribute to American president Thomas Jefferson's remark that "when injustice becomes laws, resistance becomes duty." 

Pansak and three other activists are currently facing charges of violating the junta's ban on protests for staging a rally demanding an election on 14 February. The four appeared today before a martial court, where military officers serve as judges and appeals are not permitted. 

Watcharin Silpadith, 49, protested Resistant Citizens' anti-coup activities on 15 March 2015.

Also on Sunday, a man showed up in front of Thairath newspaper headquarters in Bangkok to protest Resistant Citizens and voice his support for the military junta. The site, where a taxi driver hanged himself in protest of the 2006 coup, was originally on Pansak's march itinerary. 

The man identified himself as Watcharin Silpadith, 49, and told reporters that he didn't belong to any political group, but was merely expressing his own opinion. He held a sign that read: "Enough, please. Let the country rest," and "I don't care who the Prime Minister is, but the people will not tolerate it if someone uses an election to cheat the country." 

Police officers eventually approached Watcharin and ordered him to put down the sign. After some argument, Watcharin agreed and left the area.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a spokesperson of the military government, asked Resistant Citizens to cease their activities and abide by the junta's orders. 

"Please stop. Please understand the situation in the country today," Maj.Gen. Sansern said, "Security officers try to talk and reach understanding with them. But if the talks fail, we will uphold the interest of the country. In fact, the officers don't want to take any legal action against them, because their penalty may be severe. Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Prime Minister, stressed that he didn't want to escalate small issues into big issues." 

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BANGKOK – A volunteer nurse who witnessed the killing of two fellow medics by soldiers in a Bangkok temple during the 2010 crackdown on Redshirt protesters has been abducted from her home by security officers, according to her family.

Nattathida Meewangpla was taken from her residence in Samut Prakarn province at around 3.30 pm on 11 March, her relatives told Khaosod yesterday. 

Nattathida Meewangpla showing photos she took of the incidents on 19 May 2010 to a Khaosod reporter, 21 Feb 2012.

According to her cousin, Nattathida received a phone call from men who said they wanted to visit her home and discuss a possible land purchase. However, the potential buyers turned out to be two soldiers and three plain-clothed security officers, who arrived at Nattathida's house and ordered her to come with them for interrogation.  

The soldiers said they didn’t need a warrant to detain Nattathida because they were acting under martial law, according to Nattathida’s cousin, who asked not to be identified by name. Martial law, which was imposed by the ruling junta last May, allows the military to detain individuals without charges for up to seven days.

Nattathida has not been heard from since the arrest, her relatives say.

"They simply told her to bring some clothes. They didn't say on what charges they arrested her," her cousin told Khaosod. "They didn't say where they were taking her, and they wouldn't let us photograph them. We have been too afraid to tell the police." 

Speaking to Khaosod today, a spokesperson of the military junta denied that soldiers detained Nattathida, and suggested that "individuals with ill-intention" might have falsely claimed to act in the junta's name in order to "mislead society."

"Please be confident that every action and mission of the security officers is in accordance with boundary of the laws," said Col. Winthai Suwaree. "The enforcement of laws is also done when necessary and with clear reasons. By principle, it only affects people who violate the laws and individuals who support them." 

Winyat Chartmontri, a member of the pro-bono lawyer group called Free Thai Legal Aid, said he has been appointed by Nattathida's family to seek answers from the junta about her disappearance. 

The lawyer said he would visit the junta's headquarters at 1 pm tomorrow to demand an explanation about her alleged abduction.

"Such action has made her family concerned about her safety, and it constitutes a violation of human rights," said Winyat, who has represented other suspects who detained by the military since the coup. 

Nattathida's boyfriend said he hasn’t heard from Nattathida since 11 March, and insisted that she has not been involved in any illegal activities.

"Since I started dating her, Waen [Nattathida's nickname] liked to volunteer as medic to help people of all sides when there were protests, including Redshirts, Yellowshirts, and other groups," said her boyfriend, who requested that his name not be printed. "If the officers proceed with this case based on facts, Waen won’t be found guilty of any crimes, because she has not done anything wrong."

Nattathida, a volunteer nurse, was a key witness in the 2013 court inquest concerning the deaths of six civilians inside Wat Pathumwanararm Temple during the military’s final assault on Redshirt demonstrators on 19 May 2010.

Screenshot from footage of soldiers firing into Wat Pathum temple,19 May 2010.

The court ruled that soldiers who were standing on the skytrain track across from the temple were responsible for the deaths, which included two volunteer medics, Kamolkate Akhard, 25, and Akradech Khankaew, 22.

The temple had been designated as “safe zone” by authorities, and was housing hundreds of demonstrators at the time.

Speaking to Khaosod in 2012, Nattathida said she was initially afraid to participate in the court inquest.

"At first I was too scared to step forward, because I was afraid I would be harmed, and I couldn't accept what happened, but now I am ready," Nattathida said on 21 February 2012. "Medics who perform their duty in battlefields are protected by Geneva Convention. But volunteer medics who helped people [on 19 May] ended up under the hail of gunfire."

Despite the court ruling on 6 August 2013, government officials and military commanders who oversaw the crackdown have refused to take responsibility for the deaths.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who commanded the First Region Army in 2010, told the press after the ruling that he did not want to "interfere" with court procedures, but that the inquest should not be seen as the final verdict. He also insisted that "the army never ordered anyone to harm anyone" and that "none of my subordinate officers ever admitted to shooting anyone dead." 

"What happened during the protest was that the army only tried to keep the situation under control," said Gen.Prayuth, who is now Prime Minister after leading a military coup last May. "We have our legal team closely watching the issue … please stop looking at the army as the accused. The army is not the accused."

Since seizing power from a Redshirt-backed government on 22 May 2014, Gen. Prayuth has extensively curtailed civil rights in Thailand by banning political protests, intimidating the media, and detaining hundreds of individuals in army camps without warrants for interrogation and "attitude adjustment" sessions.

Last May, the junta held a Redshirt activist incommunicado for three weeks – violating the seven-day limit under martial law – before admitting to the public that she was in military custody. The activist, Kritsuda Khunasen, fled Thailand shortly after she was released and accused soldiers of torturing her while she was in their custody.