Court nixes protest ban
The Constitution Court yesterday rejected as unconstitutional clauses in a government-sponsored amendment to the Highway Act that would ban protests on public roads.
The judges voted eight to six against the clauses, the court's secretary-general Paiboon Varahapaitoon said.Paiboon said the majority of the judges agreed the clauses would violate Article 29 of the Constitution, which prohibits any restriction of rights and liberties recognised by the charter, and Article 44, which guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peacefully. The case had been filed by 95 MPs and 79 senators. The six dissenting judges said the clauses would "only apply a necessary limit to freedom and liberty with no impact on its essence", Paiboon said. - The Nation
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