<p>Today (20 May), Amnesty International Thailand and representatives of young people facing charges due to their political expression and their family gather to demand that the Thai authorities drop political charges against children and young people unde the age of 18 who were exercising their freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The mother of student activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul&nbsp;has received a police summons on a charge under the Emergency Decree, after she joined a protest demanding her daughter&rsquo;s release.</p>

<p>Scholars At Risk (SAR) called on the Thai authorities for the immediate release of three detained students activists and for all charges against them to be dropped.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9134">protest on Saturday</a> (20 March), Amnesty International calls for the Thai authorities to drop all charges against children and others who participate in protests and for an investigation into the authorities&#39; excessive use of force and ill treatment against protesters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A crowd of around 500 gathered at the Pathumwan Skywalk yesterday evening (9 February), after the Criminal Court <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9059">denied bail</a> for activists Parit Chiwarak, Anon Nampa, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, and Patipan Luecha, who are being detained in prison pending trial and have been taken to the Bangkok Remand Prison.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/thailand">Thailand&rsquo;s&nbsp;</a>government in 2020 escalated its repression of basic rights in the face of a growing, youth-led democracy movement demanding political and constitutional reforms, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/13/thailand-rights-crisis-rapidly-worsens?fbclid=IwAR0r2vNVrc82Edi59BvBR96JO2LEOMd1KKSVvqHEkQsc5F7QuGQj9-OM1_8">Human Rights Watch</a> said on Wednesday (13 January) in its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021">World Report 2021</a>.</p>

<p>The Thai government have always maintained that the measures they have taken against pro-democracy protests follow international procedures. Prachatai has talked to the UN Special Rapporteur to find out what these standards actually are.</p>

<p>US Senators Bob Menendez&nbsp;and Dick Durbin, along with seven other senators, introduced yesterday (3 December 2020) a Senate Resolution in support of Thailand&#39;s pro-democracy movement,&nbsp;which have been met with violence and repression from the authorities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A police representative admitted on Monday (9 November) that tear gas was used during the <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8849">police crackdown on the 16 October protest</a> at the Pathumwan intersection.</p>

<p>Yesterday (3 November 2020), representatives of five Thai human rights organisations went to submit a letter to the police commander on the violation of law and human rights during the legal action taken against pro-democracy protesters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, Parit Chiwarak, and Panupong Jadnok faced a long night after the court denied a police request to extend their temporary detention in Bangkok Remand Prison. Re-arrest was waiting for them outside amidst allegations of illegal arrest by the police, where violence was involved.</p>

<p>PEN International issued a <a href="https://pen-international.org/news/thailand-government-crackdown-and-drop-all-charges-against-peaceful-demonstrators?fbclid=IwAR2iEhm0AUvb6j8cBmDnObm-mtsu57j0zMF8u1TSFd-dpYDhXXPx71J5Hg0">statement</a> on Thursday (29 October) raising concern over the ongoing crackdown against dissenting voices and called for the Thai authorities to drop all charges against peaceful demonstrators.&nbsp;</p>