Thailand’s red-shirts leader, Jatuporn Prompan, sentenced to two years in prison
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 28 January, 2015, 10:52pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 28 January, 2015, 11:02pm
Agence France-Presse in Bangkok
Jatuporn Prompan, leader of Thai opposition red-shirt movement, speaks with his supporters. Photo: AFP
A Thai court has sentenced the leader of the opposition red-shirt movement to two years in prison for defaming a former premier, a move analysts said was the latest attack against critics of the military regime.
The ruling comes days after the retroactive impeachment and announcement of corruption charges against ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whose toppled government was backed by the "red shirts" before May's army coup.
It also came as Thailand's military government summoned the US charge d'affairs after a top US diplomat roiled the junta during a visit by calling for an end to martial law and saying the Yingluck's impeachment could be politically motivated. The court convicted red-shirts chairman Jatuporn Prompan on two counts of defamation against former royalist prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva during speeches he made in October 2009.
"The verdict is two years in prison without suspension," a court official said.
Jatuporn's lawyer Winyat Chatmontree confirmed the sentencing, saying his client, who was accused of defamation for holding Abhisit responsible for a crackdown against protesters in 2009, would not be imprisoned until the conclusion of his appeal.
Anti-coup voices, including lawmakers from Yingluck's former ruling Puea Thai party, academics and student groups, have been silenced after the army outlawed political gatherings, briefly summoned dissenters and censored the media.
The red-shirts have gone to ground with Jatuporn one of their few public faces, back on the small screen after the junta lifted a ban on political TV channels despite his every word coming under very close scrutiny by authorities.
Jatuporn, a former Puea Thai MP, has faced a slew of court cases in recent years. In August 2013 he was cleared of slandering Abhisit in a separate probe.
Thailand analyst David Streckfuss said yesterday's ruling was the latest attempt to quash any opposition to the military regime. "It seems to be part of a larger plan by the Bangkok establishment to silence and force aside their vocal critics," he said, adding it was rare for someone to face jail time over criminal defamation, with suspended sentences more common.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
