Thailand’s military junta on Tuesday released an opposition activist who had appeared on an army television channel saying her detention was ‘too good for words to say’ after demands from several human rights group for her freedom.
Kritsuda Khunasen, an activist with the grassroots ‘Red Shirt’ movement which supported the government ousted in last month’s coup, had been missing since security forces detained her 28 May in Chonburi province, east of Bangkok.
In an effort to prove she was alive and being treated well, the army aired on its TV station several minutes of footage on Monday showing Kritsuda sitting at a table talking about her situation. Her boyfriend, also in detention, was shown with her. Junta spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree said Kritsuda was released on Tuesday after a seven-day detention period allowed under martial law. Her boyfriend was turned over to police, the spokesman said.
On Sunday, he told reporters that Kritsuda was detained because she was related to a suspect ‘allegedly involved with war weapons.’ She was released, he said, but then summoned again on 18 June because the junta wanted Kritsuda ‘to enter the attitude adjustment process and to have more understanding.