Thailand Extends Emergency Rule for 3 Months

(July 6) -- Thailand extended emergency rule today over the capital and a quarter of the country for another three months, granting police broad powers to detain suspects for 30 days without charge in an extension of laws implemented earlier this spring amid the nation's worst political violence in decades.

The laws ban public demonstrations, give security officials immunity from prosecution, allow the military to get involved in many policing duties, and let them conduct searches of businesses or homes and shut down media outlets without warrants. The sweeping rules were put in place in April, after clashes broke out between security forces and anti-government protesters calling for new elections and the prime minister's ouster. At least 90 people were killed and nearly 2,000 hurt.

The main leaders of the protesters, dubbed "Red Shirts" because of the color they wear, surrendered in May amid escalating violence that burned huge swaths of Bangkok. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva remains in power.

The Cabinet approved the extension today for 19 of Thailand's 76 provinces, but allowed the state of emergency to expire in five areas where security threats have diminished enough to allow stability under normal laws, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told CNN.

Abhisit went on national television today to say there have been reports of continued activity by the Red Shirts. "The government still needs the tools to ensure peace, order and stability for a while," he said in comments carried by several news agencies.

But Red Shirt supporters and other opposition figures decry the emergency laws as undemocratic.

A spokesman for the opposition Puea Thai Party told Agence France-Presse the government is using the rules "as a tool to eradicate its political rivals and to silence the media."

"The government has turned a deaf ear to local and international rights groups although the situation has returned to normal and the government cannot explain why this law is necessary," party spokesman Pormpong Nopparit was quoted as saying.

In a letter to Abhisit last month, Amnesty International criticized his emergency rule, saying it restricts free expression and "essentially codifies immunity from prosecution for officials who committed human rights violations so long as they can claim to have done so within the section's broad terms."

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In Wake of Unrest, Thailand Extends Emergency Rule

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