Dozens of impoverished red shirts detained since the May 19 dispersal of the red shirts’ protest have been “virtually abandoned” with no visitors and some without defence lawyers, revealed Nitirat Sapsoomboon, a member of the National Human Rights Commission’s subcommittee on citizen and political rights.

At least 10 of them are women and Nitirat said red-shirt leaders and members should visit them and afford them with legal assistance.

“They should first get them lawyers. They should visit them,” said Nitirat, adding that people may accuse him of slandering red shirts because he was formerly an active yellow-shirt member but he believes there exists a double standard as detained red-shirt leaders have received a lot of support but many ordinary red shirts do not.

“I think the disparity exists. I understand that there may be some disparity. But this is too much. Providing moral support to those who fought along with you needs to be consistent.”

The Nation