Hundreds still detained by Thai junta

BANGKOK

Two weeks after Thailand's military seized control of the country, hundreds of people continue to be summoned and detained in what appears to be a massive campaign to instill fear in those opposed to the coup, or those who don't see eye-to-eye with the junta.

According to a human rights organization, of the 345 people who received written summons from the junta body National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) 129 had been released as of Thursday -- most of those "at the end of the seven day detention period allowed by martial law."

Those released spoke of being kept in solitary confinement for large periods of their detention, of their treatment being "a means of psychological warfare." Others say they were repeatedly asked to provide information on foreign correspondents. All say they were asked to sign forms on release declaring they would not participate in anti-coup activities.

The human rights organization -- which did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals -- said that a further 189 people had been arrested for "anti-coup activities" or summoned verbally -- mostly in the rural provinces. Of this number, just 94 had been released. 

Those who remain in detention are understood to have been charged with specific crimes or are deemed to have broken elements of the martial law, such as not answering the summons.

On being released, a young activist for the "Red Shirts" -- supporters of the deposed government -- described the area of his five-day confinement in a military camp as "a very small prison cell." 

"There was no bed, just a mat on the floor. No fan, so it was very hot, extremely hot," the activist told blogger Andrew Spooner. 

Others -- such as Thai journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk -- were detained in better conditions. Rojanaphruk told the website Asian Correspondent that he had been kept in a military camp in central Ratchaburi province for six days with other detainees, including two former deputy-prime ministers. 

"The commander was a close subordinate of army chief [and junta leader] General Prayuth Chan-ocha. He has a direct line to the boss, which means our group was treated well," he said.

Rojanaphruk said his phone was confiscated and he described his detention as "a means of psychological warfare" to gather information from him and other detainees. 

"Most people kept wondering how long they would be kept in the camp and we really had no clue," he said.

"The truth of the matter is there was no habeas corpus. Since we were under martial law we knew they could make up a law to keep us there. None of us were charged, or heard any charges. They kept us there and psychologically it had some effect."

He added that he was repeatedly asked to provide information on the personal life and family of some foreign correspondents -- the military concerned foreign coverage is influencing the attitude of western governments, which have strongly condemned the coup. 

Rojanaphruk wrote in The Nation newspaper this week that the day before he was released he "had 'the honor'" of being kept in solitary for eight hours. "In the period of six days at the camp, some cried, some cracked, while many others begged to be released as soon as possible."

As was the case with all detainees, both men said a condition of their release was that they sign documents declaring they would abstain from anti-coup activities or supporting those defying military orders, however, a day after his release, Rojanaphruk said he had received a phone call from a man "who identified himself as a corporal" and said he should "stop tweeting" and that he was under constant surveillance. 

A talk on his detention he was scheduled to give Thursday at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand was abruptly cancelled.

Some academics summoned by the junta were not detained, but interrogated for several hours by a panel of military officers numbering between seven and nine people. Political Scientist Sutachai Yimprasert -- interrogated Tuesday -- said that those asking questions were "well-prepared," "knew his background" and had "read his articles." 

"In the end, they asked me not to engage in opposition to the coup and to stop writing about opposition to Article 112," he said. 

Article 112 of Thailand's Criminal Code punishes anyone criticizing the king, the queen or the crown prince with a jail sentence between three and 15 years. Many political activists and academics have asked for reform or abrogation of the law -- considered to be the most severe lese-majeste decree in the world.

London-based Thai academic Ji Ungpakorn -- based in the U.K. since 2009, when he himself had to flee Thailand after being charged with lese-majeste -- slammed the summons and detention procedure Thursday.

"Before people are released they are asked to sign a document stating that they were 'well treated' and that they will refrain from any further political activities, speeches or writings," he wrote from London. 

"People are not given the choice of whether or not to sign because any refusal will mean facing a military court and then prison."

It is not known how many of those who are still being held remain in detention as they have refused to sign the documents.

In a recent statement, the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission expressed fear that more people have been arrested than have been named on the junta's lists. 

"We are calling the NCPO to immediately release all citizens being arbitrarily detained without charge and to cease creating public terror through issuing and carrying [out] indiscriminate raids," it said.

www.aa.com.tr/en