The National Human Rights Commission yesterday defended its member Jaran Dittha-apichai's civil and political rights to protest against the coup.

The NHRC, led by its chairman Saneh Chamarik, called a press conference after meeting to discuss the performance of Jaran, who was involved in a violent anti-coup rally in front of the residence of General Prem Tinsulanonda last month.

Saneh said the eight commissioners who attended the meeting concluded that Jaran had exercised his individual and political rights and the NHRC had no legal right to intervene and remove him from office.

Saneh said that people could decide for themselves if Jaran acted as an individual or as a human rights commissioner.

Two commissioners, Surasee Kosolnawin and Suthin Nophaket, did not attend the meeting.

Prominent human rights expert Gothom Arya agreed that Jaran exercised his rights in leading the protest and he, as member of the National Legislative Assembly, could not see any reason for the signature campaign to remove Jaran.

"I wouldn't join [in signing]. If there is any charge, it is still unclear and is a matter for the law and the police," he said.

Nearly 100 NLA members have signed a petition to sack Jaran, saying that Jaran "as a state officer acted against the government and the current political regime".

Angkhana Neelapichitr of the Campaign for Human Rights supported the move by the NLA members to remove Jaran, saying that Jaran worked for a government agency but threatened the rights of others.

"He spoke in front of General Prem's house and caused unrest and I don't think it's right," said Angkhana, who added that when former senator Kraisak Choonhavan was attacked in an earlier incident while observing an anti-coup protest, Jaran, who she claimed was at the protest site, did nothing to help.

However, the September 19 Network Against the Coup supported Jaran's actions, saying that as someone from the democratic system, Jaran had a duty to oppose the coup. The NLA members should ask themselves if they were acting as a rubber stamp assembly in their defence of the military-installed government, it said.

The anti-coup network also warned the NHRC not to become a "political tool", to stand firm on human rights principles and to protect the right to political assembly.

Jaran himself said that the NLA had no authority to remove him from his post and he would not resign.