Standing up against Thai military coup

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Standing up against Thai military coup
The Guardian, Monday 9 June 2014 21.00 BST

The military coup d'état in Thailand that took place on 22 May is the 13th since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932. We stand with those protesters who are calling for a return to constitutional rule by a civilian government (Thai police warn online critics, 7 June).

As academics and university staff and students, we also wish to express particular concern at the surveillance, harassment, and roundup of academics and students calling for democracy and the reinstatement of civilian rule. Academics and students who have been critics of the lèse-majesté law have been summonsed and we understand that some have gone into hiding as a result. We join with all others who have also called upon the commander in chief of the Thai army to immediately release politicians, activists, journalists, academics and others who have been harassed and imprisoned following the military summons to stop making any political criticism or comment. We condemn the move ordering universities to monitor the political activities of staff and students on campuses, and are also concerned that some universities have issued orders to their staff and students to refrain from making any political comment in the public sphere.

We support and admire the courage of university staff and students who continue to gather at Thammasat University and other protest sites. Intellectual freedom and freedom of speech are fundamental tenets of a democratic society and functioning university system alike and we urge their restoration.

Professor Gurminder K Bhambra University of Warwick, Professor John Holmwood University of Nottingham, Professor Les Back Goldsmiths, University of London, Dr Ipek Demir University of Leicester, Dr Kirsten Forkert Birmingham City University,

Dr Robbie Shilliam Queen Mary, University of London, Dr Lee Jones Queen Mary, University of London, Mark Carrigan University of Warwick, Dr John Narayan University of Warwick, Dr Madhumita Lahiri University of Warwick, Dr Peo Hansen Linköping University, Dr Daniel Orrells University of Warwick, Professor Luke Martell University of Sussex, Professor Andrew Sayer Lancaster University, Dr Malcolm MacLean University of Gloucestershire, Emeritus Professor Gavin Edwards University of South Wales, Professor Raphael Salkie University of Brighton, Dr Nessa Cronin National University of Ireland, Galway, Professor Jonathan S Davies De Montfort University,

Dr Jo Ingold University of Leeds, Professor William Outhwaite University of Newcastle, Lauren Tooker University of Warwick, Professor Larry Ray University of Kent, Dr Justin Cruickshank University of Birmingham, Professor Robert Fine University of Warwick, Dr Rosa Vasilaki University of Bristol, Dr Carole Jones University of Edinburgh, Bernard Sufrin Emeritus fellow, Worcester College, University of Oxford, Professor Nickie Charles University of Warwick, Dr Luke Yates University of Manchester, Claire Blencowe University of Warwick, Professor Patrick Ainley University of Greenwich, Dr Kevin McSorley University of Portsmouth,

Gabriel Newfield Retired pro-director, University of Hertfordshire, Professor Mick Carpenter University of Warwick, Dr Andrea Hajek University of Glasgow, Lisa Tilley University of Warwick, Dr Nicola Pratt University of Warwick, Dr J Sanchez Taylor University of Leicester, Dr David Featherstone University of Glasgow, Dr Angela Last University of Glasgow, Dr Bryn Jones University of Bath, Simon Dawes Independent scholar, Prof Chris Jones Liverpool John Moores University, Dr Vivienne Jackson, Chrysi Papaioannou University of Leeds, Lee Mackinnon Goldsmiths, University of London, Dr Goldie Osuri University of Warwick

-England // http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/09/standing-up-thai-military-coup