The Civil Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by pro-democracy activists against the junta.
On 30 October 2017, the Civil Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by 13 pro-democracy activists against the military government, according to Matichon Online.
Most of the 13 are youth activists from the New Democracy Movement and Democracy Restoration Group.
The activists accused the authorities of malfeasance and abuse of human rights in using force to arrest them and other demonstrators who participated in a peaceful gathering on 22 May 2015 to commemorate the 2014 coup d’état.
They demanded 16.5 million baht in compensation from the police, the army and the Prime Minister's Office. The court, however, dismissed the case, reasoning that the security officers did not violate any law in suppressing the gathering, but it was the activists who violated the junta’s ban on political gatherings.
Many activists were injured as soldiers and police officers surrounded them and dragged them away to break up the gathering. The activists were detained at Pathumwan Police Station for about 10 hours without being informed of the charges against them.
The activists filed the lawsuit against the authorities in January.
Activists commemorating the 2014 coup d'état on 22 May 2015 (file photo)
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