The blast came weeks after Thailand's junta forcibly repatriated 109 Uighurs to China, where rights activists say the Muslim minority faces cultural and religious repression. The hearing finally started Tuesday after judges accepted two interpreters provided by the Chinese embassy and waved off objections from the defendants. "I do not want translators from China because China does not respect Uighurs," Mohammed said through one of the interpreters. The trial is expected to last until early 2018 with the court only sitting for a few days each month. Prosecutors accuse Mohammed of placing the bomb inside a backpack at the shrine and say Mieraili was involved in transporting the device.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 15, 2016 07:42 UTC