Veera indicted for Govt House intrusion

Veera indicted for Govt House intrusion

Human rights activist arraigned over 2008 yellow-shirt protest

Human rights activist Veera Somkwamkid was on Tuesday indicted in the Criminal Court on charges of sedition, illegal armed assembly and intruding into Government House during a yellow-shirt protest by the People's Alliance for Democracy in 2008.

The case against Mr Veera was filed with the court by criminal litigation prosecutors of the attorney-general's department.

Mr Veera, 57, is charged with sedition with intent to force a change of government, illegal armed assembly of more 10 people to cause disturbance in the country in defiance of the authorities' orders, and intimidation and forced detention of other people in violation of Sections 116, 215, 216, 309 and 310 of the Criminal Code.

Veera Somkwamkid (Bangkok Post photo)

The charge states that between Oct 5-11, 2008 Mr Veera and thousands of PAD supporters who were armed with guns, catapults and wooden sticks intruded into the Government House compound, took inside the compound eight trucks and set up a stage to make speeches to persuade people throughout the country to surround parliament to prevent then-prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, his cabinet and members of parliament from holding a meeting.

The court accepted the lawsuit for further trial.  Mr Veera denied the charges.

The court set Feb 2 for the first examination of evidence submitted by both sides in the case.

Mr Veera was released from a Cambodian prison on June 30 this year after receiving a royal pardon from Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni after having served more than three years in jail for illegal entry and espionage.

He, as coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon were arrested along with five other Thais on Dec 29, 2010 while "inspecting" a disputed border area near Ban Nongchan in Sa Kaeo province.

Mr Veera was later sentenced to eight years and Ms Ratree to six years in prison by the Cambodian court  for illegally entering Cambodia and spying. Mr Veera had previously been caught in Cambodia and charged with illegal entry, warned not to do it again, and released.

Ms Ratree was released early last year.  The others were released earlier because they admitted the charges.

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