The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) urged the public to send "appeal for justice" letters to authorities in Thailand and the United Nations, including CDR chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin; Saneh Chamarik, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission; and Luis Alfonso de Alba, president of the UN Human Rights Council.

The four ex-ministers are former PM's Secretary-General Prommin Lertsuridej, former Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya, former Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat and former PM's Office Minister Newin Chidchob.

The AHRC claims that under martial law provisions conventionally used in Thailand, which have been in force since the army took power, the military can only hold an individual for up to seven days, whether for interrogation or otherwise. Prommin and Chidchai were placed in detention on the night the CDR seized power on September 19, while Yongyuth and Newin were taken into custody two days later.

Winai Phattiyakul, secretary-general of the CDR, told The Nation there were "no legal problems" regarding the detainment of the four former ministers but that the CDR planned to release them "within the next few days" anyway.

The AHRC statement stressed the group was aware the four detainees were known to have worked closely with ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and all face allegations of involvement in corruption and human-rights abuse. But it maintained the four should be released, on grounds of their human rights.