Remanded protest leaders Anon Nampa and Panupong Jaadnok were released from Bangkok Special Prison at about 6pm this evening by order of the Criminal Court, at the request of the police, apparently to ease political pressure on the Government from the anti-dictatorship protest groups.

Police from Samranrat police station filed a petition with the Criminal Court seeking the revocation of the detention orders onthe human rights lawyer and the protest leader from Thailand’seastern province of Rayong, claiming that they have almost completed their investigation into the offences allegedly committed by the duo and there is no further need to detain them.

After considering the police request, the Court ordered Anon and Nampa to be released, to the delight of a group of their supporters, who had been rallying in front of the Bangkok Special Prison since last Wednesday.

Both Anon and Panupong reported to the Court last Wednesday,when it considered Samranrat police’s request to revoke their bail, for allegedly breaching a bail condition by addressing crowd at an anti-Government protest.

The Court doubled the bail for Anon and Panupong to 200,000 Baht, but both chose to spend time behind bars instead of bailing themselves out.

Ever since their detention, protest and human rights groups have been pressuring the Government for their unconditional release.