After witnessing and calling out the brutal shooting of unarmed protestors by soldiers during 2010’s intense political confrontations in Bangkok, a volunteer nurse’s life has been “turned to hell”, according to Human Rights Watch.
The nurse, Natthida “Waen” Meewangpa, demanded justice for the attack all the way up until 2015, when she arbitrarily snatched and put into secret detention. She claims to have been beaten and mistreated.
Thailand’s ruling military junta subsequently charged Natthida with criminal association and conspiring to commit terrorist acts related to a grenade attack at the Bangkok Criminal Court on March 7, 2015. She faces up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
But that wasn’t enough. The junta also accused Natthida of breaching the country’s harsh lese majeste, which punishes any negative statements about the Thai monarchy. That charge also carries up to a 15-year prison sentence.
Natthida is still locked up and is being tried in a military court. According to international law, trying civilians in military tribunals violates their human rights.
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