Thai political activist Srisuwan Janya lodged a complaint with the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) police this morning (Monday), seeking legal action against administrators of the “Youth & Direct Democracy TH” Facebook page for posting images of Thai protesters in a German town, allegedly containing messages deemed to insult and intimidate the Thai monarchy.
He also asked the TCSD to consider prosecuting 45 other individuals who, he alleged, had shared the content on social media.
Mr. Srisuwan, secretary-general of the Thai Constitution Protection Association, said today that the Thai protesters in Germany, some of them living in exile to escape lèse majesté prosecutions in Thailand, staged the rally on Saturday in Kirn, Germany, to coincide with the protests in Thailand, organized by the Free Youth movement and its allies, who had originally planned to march to the Grand Palace.
Blocked by a large police presence and a barricade of shipping containers and razor wire, the protesters were forced to change their plan and head to the residence of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, inside the First Infantry Regiment camp on Vibhavadi Rangsit road.
Again, the protesters were blocked, resulting in clashes between police and protesters, forcing the police to resort to teargas and rubber bullets to disperse them.
The solo activist said that he had a list of the names of people he alleges have committed lèse majesté for submission to the TCSD police.
Mr. Srisuwan also submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission today (Monday), to rule on whether the Saturday’s protest at Din Daeng intersection was peaceful, creative and without arms, as claimed by the Free Youth movement and its supporters.
He said that, before the protest on Saturday, the Free Youth movement sent a letter to the NHRC asking the commission to send officials to observe the protest, which the movement claimed to be peaceful and in line with the principle of free expression.
The NHRC assigned commissioners Preeda Kongpaen, Asst Prof Suchart Setthamalinee, Sayamon Kaiyurawong and Wasant Paileeklee and some officials to observe the protest.
Mr. Srisuwan said that the protest erupted into violent clashes between the police and protesters, adding he wants the commission’s ruling to be used as a basis to take action against the movement, in accordance with the computer crime law.
