The Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald report on Conor David Purcell’s return to Australia following his deportation from Thailand. He said his first priority was to seek medical support for his stress-related health problems that developed from his incarceration.
He also stated that he hoped to return to Thailand to continue the “fight for democracy.” In the SMH he says of his speeches from the red shirt stage: “I had to speak out against what I’d seen … what I saw on April 10 was absolutely horrendous.” Purcell added (in the Australian) that he believed these speeches “made him a target…” for the Abhisit Vejjajiva government. In one speech he “criticised the Thai army and called for them to lay down their guns.” In Sydney he said: “You have to make a stand against these people…”.
He repeated claims that “while in jail he was severely beaten by a group of prisoners he believes were acting on the direction of guards. He said the beating left him unable to walk and other Thai prisoners helped him recover by giving him massages.” He said he was “denied medical attention for almost two weeks afterwards.”
The SMH adds that Purcell was “critical of the support he had received from the Australian government while in prison.” He stated that he planned to find out more about the failures of the Australian embassy.
Purcell claims that he did not plead guilty to the charges against him, but “accepted political charges…”.
Purcell was met by a group of about 15 supporters from Thai Red Australia, carrying banners that called him a hero and welcomed him home. “Welcome home Conor Purcell,” read one poster. And, on the reverse, referring to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva: “Abhisit is a tyrant. We don’t want murderer PM. We don’t want mafia ruler government in Thailand.”