The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected convicted lese majeste offender Yossawaris Chuklom’s request for release on bail, saying the defendant had yet to submit his appeal to the court and therefore he had no right to apply for bail.
Yosswaris "Jeng Dokchik" Chuklom (Photo by Surapol Promsaka na Sakolnakorn)
The hardline red-shirt member, also known as Jeng Dokchik, was sentenced to two years in prison without suspension by the Criminal Court in January last year for delivering a speech deemed insulting to His Majesty the King at a protest rally organised by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in 2010.
The Court of Appeal last Thursday upheld the lower court’s ruling and Yossawaris' lawyer, Winyat Chartmontree, offered 500,000 baht to secure his bail on that day.
The Supreme Court said Yossawaris’s bail request was rejected on the grounds that an appeal in his case was allowed only on questions of law, not questions of facts. The defendant was not entitled to appeal yet because he had not filed an appeal in court.
The court also cited the possibility Yossawaris would jump bail. Mr Winyat said he would proceed with the case.
Yossawaris is being detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison. He is one of the 24 UDD leaders and supporters charged with terrorism in connection with the 2010 political protests.
He is due to appear before the Criminal Court on Thursday which will hear the testimonies of plaintiff witnesses in the case.