The 22 protesters deny the charges of committing the sedition and a litany of other crimes, which include lese majeste, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for each charge.
“They can shut me down, but I can’t shut up the truth,” protest leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak shouted as he arrived at a prison truck, defiantly intermittently greeting the three-fingered “Hunger Games” synonymous with the youth movement.
“The truth is always the truth, whether in prison, under torture or awaiting execution, the truth is the truth,” said Parit, 22, who is among seven defendants in pre-trial detention and accused of insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn. also. as a sedition.
The youth movement in Thailand has presented the biggest challenge so far to Prime Minister and former coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is said to have devised a process to maintain the political status quo and maintain it. to power after the 2019 elections. Prayut rejected that.
Protesters also broke a traditional taboo calling for strong monarchy reform, saying the military’s constitution after the 2014 coup gives the king too much power.
The length of the trial will be set later Monday, after the defense and prosecution will discuss how many witnesses will ask both sides for the case, resulting from a September rally.