Bail fund to help 54 jailed red shirts

The Justice Ministry is set to secure a Bt43million fund to be used as bail to temporarily release 54 redshirt protestors imprisoned since the violent protests of May 2010.

The first set of bail requests would be made from June 20 to various courts whose orders placed the group under custody, said ministry spokesman Ruenruedee Suwannamongkhol. He was speaking at a meeting with the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, which will proceed with the bail-securing steps.

Doctors’ certificates would also be sought to certify that 10 of the detainees were mentally unstable, mostly from stress which developed after they were arrested and put in detention, said RLPD director-general Phitthaya Jinawat.

He said 48 of the detaines, all considered unlikely escape risks, would be considered first for release and later those with mental problems. None is seriously ill and all 54 red shirts will be considered for release regardless of any lese majeste laws they allegedly breached.

The Nation