"Charges against Thai activists dismissed, mining protest to go on", 20 Apr 2018

A Thai court has dismissed all charges against seven female activists accused of violating public assembly laws, just weeks after a United Nations team called on the government to end attacks on human rights campaigners.  The court in northeastern Loei province ruled on Thursday that the women had been invited to attend a meeting at the council office, and that they did not breach any law...They had been accused of holding a gathering that blocked access to the council office, and violating a law that forbids some public assemblies.  The women belonged to a local environmental group which has long demanded the permanent closure of a gold mine they said was hurting their health and the environment.  Local officials had filed the charges after the protest in November 2016, and the women faced more than five years in prison...