Mirror Foundation chairman Sombat Boongamanong has been unlawfully detained since Saturday for his alleged violation of the emergency laws and an alleged link to the red shirts, his lawyer Anon Nampha said yesterday.
"The detention of Sombat is unlawful and seen as a frame-up against any opponent of the government," he said.
Anon said the authorities cited an arrest warrant for emergency violations issued on May 21 by Wang Thonglang police to hold Sombat at a detention centre located inside the Border Patrol Police camp in Pathum Thani.
Police took Sombat into custody and sent him to the detention centre in lieu of the remand while he was trying to tie a red cloth at the Rajprasong intersection, the rally site of the red shirts. The red cloth is supposed to signify the struggle for democracy.
Anon said police had no justification in linking Sombat to the red shirts, hence there was no cause to detain him.
The foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation which does volunteer work, he said, adding Sombat was not involved in the rally although he came under police attention when he tried to raise awareness about people missing during the unrest.
Red media activist Somyos Prueksakasemsuk said Red Power, a new red-shirts' publication, will hit the news stands next Saturday.
The publication will replace the Voice of Taksin magazine shut down under the state of emergency, he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Investigation is ready to take statements from representatives of eight companies suspiciously linked to the red-shirt rally.
DSI director general Tharit Pengdit said he had received confirmation from the companies they would present their rebuttals as scheduled. The companies, seen as close to or under the control of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his family, have had their financial transactions frozen pending a review of financial backing for the reds.