"New charges filed over Thepa coal-fired power plant protest", 04 January 2018

Prominent activists opposing the Thepa coal-fired power plant heard a new charge of violating the Public Gathering Act…while police implicated a 17th activist in the same case.

All 16 activists…presented themselves at Songkhla Provincial Court…to hear another charge of arranging an illegal public gathering.

Police also filed a complaint against Mustarsheedeen Waba, another prominent protester…bringing the number of offenders in the case to 17.

All 17 defendants have been charged with blocking traffic, marching on a public highway, fighting with police, carrying weapons in public and staging illegal demonstration. The “weapons” in question were poles used to carry signs and banners.

Several groups…showed up in front of Muang Songkhla Provincial Police Station…urging authorities to stop the prosecution of community rights defenders and ensure freedom of expression.

They also highlighted that people had the rights to speak to the government about their problems and to defend the environment and their livelihoods.