The 22 protesters deny allegations of incitement and litany of other crimes, including lese majesty, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for each count.
“They can lock me up, but they can’t figure out the truth,” protest leader Parit “Penguin” shouted Chiwarak as he arrived in a prison car and defiantly showed the three-fingered salute of the “Hunger Games,” synonymous with the youth movement.
“The truth is always the truth, whether in prison, under torture or pending execution, the truth is the truth,” said Parit, 22, one of seven defendants remanded in custody and charged with insulting King Maha Vajiralongkorn. as sedition.
The Thai youth movement has so far faced the biggest challenge to Prime Minister and former coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha, who they say has developed a process that would maintain the political status quo and keep him in power after the 2019 elections. that rejected.
Protesters also broke a traditional taboo by demanding reform of the powerful monarchy, saying that the constitution drafted by the military after the 2014 coup gives the king too much power.
The length of the trial will be determined later on Monday, after the defense and prosecution have discussed how many witnesses both sides will call on the case, which stems from a meeting in September.