Ten activists reprieved for 2007 parliament trespass

Ten activists reprieved for 2007 parliament trespass

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted a reprieve to former senator Jon Ungphakorn, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission member Supinya Klangnarong and eight other activists by suspending their sentencing for two years for trespassing at the parliament in 2007.

The suspension of a sentence is a form of reprieve, similar to a suspended prison sentence, probation and parole.

on, then chairman of the NGO Coordinating Committee, and nine activists, including NBTC commissioner Supinya, and Foundation for Consumers secretary-general Saree Aongsomwang, were accused of inciting unrest and trespass after they led about 100 demonstrators to climb over the parliament fence and sit down in the compound on Dec 12, 2007.

The seven other defendants are: Sawit Kaewwan, a leader of the State Railway of Thailand labour union; Sirichai Mai-ngam, former president of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand workers union; Pichit Chaimongkol; Anirut Khaosanit; Nasser Yeema, Amnat Palamee and Pairote Polaphet.

The activists wanted to stop the then coup-installed National Legislative Assembly from passing legislation covering security matters and natural resources management.

They were charged with illegal assembly and causing unrest in violaton of Sections 116, 215, 362, 364 and 365 of the Criminal Code.

The Criminal Court on Mar 28, 2013 sentenced Jon, Sawit, Sirichai, Pichit, Amnat and Pairote to one year and four months each in jail and a fine of 6,000 baht.

The other four defendants were handed prison sentences of eight months each and a fine of 6,000 baht.  Their jail sentences were suspended for two years.

The Appeal Court acquitted all ten defendants, reversing the lower court's ruling on the grounds that they lacked intention to commit the offences. The case was forwarded to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court found that their offences were not serious and suspended the sentencing for two years.

According to the law, if they repeat the offences during a specified time the court would deliver its sentences on them.

After hearing the court's ruling, Jon thanked his lawyers for their hard work in fighting the case.

He insisted that he and the other defendants had climbed the fence because they did not want the coup-installed NLA to pass legislation which curtailed the rights and liberties of the people. He said the people should be given the right to express their opinions and oppose legislation.

Supinya posted on her Twitter page that she would to voluntarily suspend herself from duty as an NBTC commissioner without pay after the Supreme Court's ruling.

She said since the court had not passed a sentence on her, it was not clear if she is still qualified as a commissioner. Top ensure there were no problems, she would seek to suspend herself indefinitely.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (2)