The sign reads: Release “Tawan” Release our friend #112 treads on humansThe right to bail is to beheld as a fundamental right
Tiwakorn Withiton protests at Khon Kaen’s Democracy Monument, demanding release of Bangkok activist denied bail
Khon Kaen – Tiwakorn Withiton, an activist from Khon Kaen charged with Article 112, Thailand’s lese majeste law, posted a photo on his Facebook page as he stood alone “in detention” for 112 minutes yesterday (May 25, 2022), demanding the right to bail and release of Tantawan “Tawan” Tuetulanon, now held in prison in Bangkok.
Tantawan is an activist currently being held at Bangkok Remand Prison. It was only on March 5 this year that she was arrested for comments she had made on Facebook Live when a royal motorcade passed a pro-democracy protest at Democracy Monument in Bangkok in October 2020. She was denied bail many times, despite her going on a 37-day hunger strike and the efforts of her lawyer and politicians.
Tiwakorn’s solidarity, silent protest, using a sign hanging around his neck to communicate his demands, is the latest act of this unaffiliated activist. His first public act in October of 2020 was wearing a T-shirt saying, “We have lost faith in the monarchy.” Authorities committed him to Khon Kaen Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital for 13 days.
A year later, to commemorate the one-year anniversary of students demanding reform of the monarchy, Tiwakorn put on his T-shirt again and walked publicly through downtown Khon Kaen.
UPDATE: Today (May 26, 2022), Tantawan “Tawan” Tuetulanon was granted bail and released.
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