World News

Court’s ruling will impact on democracy, rights and liberties of Thais

Court’s ruling will impact on democracy, rights and liberties of Thais
Written by World Events

Move Forward party said it has no intention whatsoever to undermine the monarchy and the Constitutional Court’s ruling, today, will not only impact the party, but also democracy in Thailand as well as the rights and liberties of the people.

Party leader Chaithawat Tulathon and former party leader Pita Limjaroenrat jointly made the above statement in response to the Constitutional Court ruling that the party’s campaign to amend the lese majeste law or Article 112 of the Criminal Code constitutes an attempt to topple Constitutional Monarchy and ordered the party to cease all activities related to lese majeste law.

Chaithawat said that the court’s ruling may impact on the relationship between the parliament and the Constitutional Court in the future and cause widespread confusion about the democratic system with the King as the head of state.

He added that the court’s ruling will also deprive the Thai society of the opportunity to the parliamentary system to resolve political conflict in the future, particularly regarding the Monarchy issue and may bring about negative impacts on the revered institution.

Citing the court’s implication of party members’ association with anti-monarchy protests by acting as guarantors for protesters facing lese majeste charges as part of the attempt to undermine the monarchy, Chaithawat said that such ruling by the court goes against the legal principle that a suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

He questioned the court’s ruling which bars the party from expressing views verbally, in writing, in publication or in advertisements on lese majeste issue.  “Does it mean that, from now on, the party, the media, academics or the public general cannot express their views on Article 112?” he asked.

He asked the court for an explanation of the meaning of “non-parliamentary means” in the court’s ruling barring amending lese majeste law through non-parliamentary means.

He also asked the court whether parties which declare themselves as pro-monarchy and accuse their opponents of being disloyal to the monarchy should be deemed as attempting to undermine the monarchy because their political stance will affect the status of the monarchy to remain politically impartial.


Source link

About the author

World Events

Leave a Comment

Translate »