UDD leaders jailed for 2007 protest at Prem's residence !!!

 

 

UDD co-leaders Nattawut Saikuar (left), Wiphuthalaeng
 Pattanaphumthai (centre) and Weng Tojirakarn are taken
 out of the Criminal Court on Wednesday after hearing the
 judgement on charges of illegal assembly outside Gen
Prem Tinsulanonda's home on July 22, 2007.
 (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

 

The Criminal Court on Wednesday sentenced five leading

 members of the United Front for Democracy against

 Dictatorship (UDD) to prison, without suspension, over

 a protest in front of the Si Sao Thewes residence of Privy

Council president Prem Tinsulanonda on July 22, 2007.

 

 Four men -- Veerakan Musikhapong, Nattawut Saikuar,

Wiphuthalaeng Pattanaphumthai and Weng Tojirakarn --

were each sentenced to terms of four years and four months.

Nopparuj Worachitwuthikul was sentenced to imprisonment

 for two years and eight months.

Two other UDD leaders, Veerasak Hemathulin and Wanchai

Naputtha, who were also named as defendants in the case

 were acquitted.

 

The court was told the seven UDD leaders led thousands

 of red-shirt supporters from Sanam Luang to the Si Sao

Thewes residence of Gen Prem, where they staged a protest

 calling on him to resign as president of the Privy Council.

 

They were charged with illegal assembly and other legal

offences including resisting officials performing their duties.

The court ruled that as authorities approached to arrrest

 the protest leaders, who were sitting in a vehicle, they were

 obstructed by protesters who threw bricks and chairs at them.

 

 This was not an act of defence as claimed by the defendants,

 the court said.

Judging from their speeches at the protest, the UDD leaders

had no real intention of stopping the protesters' actions,

the court said.

The court read out sentences for Nattawut, Wiphuthalaeng

 and Weng of four years and four months imprisonment

 each for illegal assembly and other charges including

 resisting officials performing their duty.

 Nopparuj was sentenced to two years and eight months for

 resisting officials performing their duty.

The court declined to suspend the sentences.

The court acquitted Mr Veerasak and Mr Wanchai for lack

of evidence, giving them the benefit of doubt.

Six of the seven defendants were present at the court to

 hear the sentencing.

Mr Veerakan was represented by a lawyer who requested

 a postponement of the judgement on his client, who he

 said was sick and had been undergoing treatment at the

 Police Hospital since Sept 14.

 A doctor's letter of certification was attached to the request.

 The court approved the request and rescheduled the official

 reading of the judgement on Veerakan to Sept 30 at 9am.

 

The UDD lawyer, Winyat Chartmontree, filed a bail

request for Nattawut, Wiphuthalaeng, Weng and Nopparuj,

 offering 500,000 baht each as collateral, pending appeal.

 The request was being considered by the court.

Mr Winyat said a bail request would also be filed for

Veerakan when he comes out of hospital and officially

 hears the ruling on Sept 30.

 

News,Politics,Bangkok Post,16 September 2015.

 

In my viewpoint,this is fair justice for all parties and

I am very glad to hear this news.

 

Hope it is the base case justice for all protestors to think

before they do anything that make others into troble.

 

Sincerely Yours.