4 activists detained after military bans group from holding cultural event on land reform

The military and police on Sunday detained at least four activists after they held a silent press briefing on the forced cancellation of a cultural event on land reform. 
 
At about 2 pm the activists were detained and taken to Chanasongkram Police Station. At around 4.30pm they were released with no charges.
 
Earlier on Sunday the activists held a silent press briefing named “No Talk Show under the Military Boot: When the military violates our rights to hold the talk show ‘Our land . . .  whose land?’” at the 14 October Memorial on Bangkok’s Ratchadamnoen Avenue. With their mouths taped, the activists held press release documents in front of them, while several military and police officers were deployed at the scene. 
 
The junta on Saturday ruled not to allow a cultural event on land issues to be held in Bangkok, while the organizers are puzzled because the event was aimed at entertaining the audience with music and talk shows.
 
The planned event ‘Our land…whose land?’ is composed of mini concerts and talks by Sulak Sivaraksa, a renowned social critic, and Pasuk Pongpaijit, a renowned academic. It was to be held on Sunday afternoon at the Alliance Française, Bangkok. 
 
 
 

 

 

 

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