Charter protesters get suspended sentences

By Kesinee Taengkeaw 
The Nation

 

File photo in August 2016

 

Three activists on Wednesday were sentenced to four months in jail, reduced to a two-year suspension, for tearing up ballots during the junta-controlled constitutional referendum in August 2016.

 

They were accused of breaking the referendum law, which was seen as targeting protesters against the junta's charter draft.

 

The law prohibited the public and media from discussing the vote.

 

Handed out by the Appeal Court, the punishments were revised and increased from those of the civil court back in September 2016, when Piyarat Jongthep was sentenced to two years in prison and a Bt2,000 fine, reduced to a one-year suspension. 

 

Jirawat Ekakkharanuwat and Songtham Kaewpanpreuk, who filmed Piyarat’s tearing up the ballot paper outside the voting booth in Bangkok’s Bang Na district, were earlier acquitted of the charges.

 

Apart from the referendum bill’s Article 59 and Article 60, which punished those damaging ballots and obstructing voting, the three were also accused of breaking the Criminal Code’s Article 188 on damaging documents and Article 358 on damaging public property.

 

The Appeal Court initially sentenced them each to six months in prison but later reduced the sentences, saying they provided useful testimonies.

 

The activists, while reaffirming that they did not instigate any disturbance, said they would consider whether they would pursue the case in the Supreme Court, according to their lawyer Krisadang Nutcharas.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30352229

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-8-15

The law prohibited the public and media from discussing the vote

This crowd is beginning to make Pol Pot democratic.  Oh sorry forgot Thailand gave shelter to him.

Edited August 16, 20187 yr by Esso49

29 minutes ago, Esso49 said:

This crowd is beginning to make Pol Pot democratic.  Oh sorry forgot Thailand gave shelter to him.

I see the US has now imposed visa restrictions on Cambodian officials following the recent election and how it was conducted. Are you watching Prayuth ?

On 8/15/2018 at 7:04 PM, snoop1130 said:

Three activists........were sentenced for tearing up ballots during the junta-controlled constitutional referendum in August 2016. 

Is this any different to the monkey activists which destroy ballot papers.

"They found 12 of the 15 pages of voter’s list were either destroyed or damaged. Witnesses told the police that the monkeys which have been residing in the bushes around the temple were responsible for the vandalism. Some of the monkeys also took away a few damaged pages"

The junta is presently training monkeys for election day. That would not be a challenge for them. They would be among friends.

 

 

The Junta is preparing minds for the next rigged elections.