THAILAND: GOVERNMENT IS TO DEPORT FIVE EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS ARRESTED DURING PROTEST
Record ID:
644549
THAILAND: GOVERNMENT IS TO DEPORT FIVE EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS ARRESTED DURING PROTEST
- Title: THAILAND: GOVERNMENT IS TO DEPORT FIVE EUROPEAN DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS ARRESTED DURING PROTEST
- Date: 9th November 2001
- Summary: (W4)BANGKOK, THAILAND (NOVEMBER 7, 2001)(REUTERS) 1. MV LAWYERS TALKING TO MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. (SOUNBITE) (English) LAWYER AT THE COURT OF APPEAL IN PARIS/REPRESENTING ACTIVISTS, FRANCOIS ZIMERAY, SAYING "The situation is quite critical. I think the possibility to remain in jail is not purely hypothetical and theoretical. The risk is real, but the hope is real too." 0.32 3. MV PRESS CONFERENCE 0.36 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRANCOIS ZIMERAY, SAYING "They suffer lack of medicine and care. Of course of freedom, they cannot communicate, even between themselves. They are not allowed to have a daily walk, even if this has been requested expressly last week by ambassadors. This right has not been granted to them." 1.07 5. SLV MEDIA 1.12 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRANCOIS ZIMERAY, SAYING "The person has not been arrested because of the content of the documentation itself, but rather because of the fact to have organised a free demonstration, which is not in fact an offence according to Laotian law." 1.33 7. MV LAWYERS TALKING TO MEDIA 1.38 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 24th November 2001 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Reuters ID: LVABVM0AU24MII1YPCATOSKGTSYL
- Story Text: Laos will deport five European democracy activists
arrested during a protest in the capital Vientiane in October,
a Laotian foreign ministry official said on Thursday.
The senior official made his comments on condition of
anonymity as Italian Foreign Ministry Undersecretary
Margherita Boniver arrived in Vientiane to press for their
release.
The previous day, lawyers for five European activists
spoke to the media after visiting their clients in jail in the
capital of Laos, Vientiane.
Lawyer for the five activists Francois Zimeray said in
Thailand on Wednesday (November 7, 2001) that he was very
concerned about them.
The activists were arrested in front of the presidential
palace in Vientiane on October 26, after they tried to hand
out leaflets relating to political prisoners in Laos.
They were representing Brussels-based human rights group
Transnational Radical Party (TRP), and included three Italians
(Massimo Lensi, Bruno Mellano, Silvja Manzi), one Russian
(Nicolai Khramov) and one Belgian (Olivier Dupuis - a member
of the European Parliament).
Zimeray said: "The situation is quite critical. I think
the possibility to remain in jail is purely hypothetical and
theoretical. The risk is real, but the hope is real too".
The activists claim the leaflets they were handing out
were a tribute to a group of political activists who went
missing in Laos two years ago.
Francois Zimeray says his clients were aware of some of
the risks involved in this kind of action, but were not
prepared to be arrested and detained for such a long time.
He says the authorities in Laos have no grounds, even
under local law, for holding the activists in detention.
Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Margherita Boniver arrived
in Vientiane on Thursday (November 8), hoping to meet senior
officials in a bid to secure the release of the five.
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