Human rights lawyer Krisdang Nutcharas admitted today (Wednesday) that he had lost hope for getting bail for the detained Ratsadon core leaders after the Criminal Court, again, turned down his bail request yesterday on the ground that denying bai will not endanger their lives.

However, he said he would ask the court for the protection of the safety of the defendants held in custody at Bangkok remand prison as petitioned by Anon Nampa, one of the defendants.

The court today held an urgent inquiry in response to a petition from Anon who sought protection from the court for the safety of the seven defendants, including himself, following an unusual incident on Monday night when unidentified prison officers, some armed with truncheons, tried to seize two of them, Panupong Jadnok, alias Mike Rayong, an Chatupat Boonpatthararaksa, alias Pai Daodin, out of their cell in the middle of the night supposedly for COVID-19 tests.

The other five defendants held in the same cell are Anon Nampa, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Somyos Prueksakasemsook, Patiwat Saraiyaem and Piyarat Chongthep, alias Toto.

All the seven defendants had resisted the late night’s COVID-19 tests as unusual.