Supreme Court’s verdict on 5 UDD core members expected Friday

 

 

Unless there is another postponement, tomorrow (Friday) the Criminal Court is due to read the Supreme Court’s verdict in the cases of five core members of the red-shirt movement, officially known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), for their alleged roles in the violent siege in 2007 of the Ban Sisao Thewet government guesthouse, which is the former residence of late Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda.

 

The five defendants are Mr. Veerakarn Musikapong, former UDD leader, Mr. Nopparut Worachitwutthikul, former core leader of the White Pigeon group, Mr. Natthawuth Saikua, UDD secretary-general, Mr. Wiputhalaeng Pattanaputhai and Dr. Weng Tochirakarn.

 

Two other defendants, Messrs. Veerasak Hemathulin and Wanchai Naputtha, were acquitted by the Criminal Court.  Their acquittal was then upheld by the Appeals Court.

 

The seven defendants were charged with leading red-shirt protesters to lay siege to Ban Sisao Thewet, during which some of the protesters clashed with police deployed to defend the residence.

 

The Criminal Court acquitted Messrs. Veerasak and Wanchai, but convicted the other five. Mr. Nopparut was sentenced to two years and eight months’ in prison and the four others got four years and four months each.

 

The Appeals Court upheld the two year and eight month prison term handed down to Mr. Nopparut, but reduced the sentences of the rest to two years and eight months each, without suspension.

 

The Supreme Court’s verdict was supposed to be read on July 31st last year, but was postponed to September 23rd, because Mr. Veerakarn reported sick and could not attend court.

 

Before the reading of the verdict on September 23rd, Mr. Veerakarn, Dr. Weng, Mr. Natthawut and Mr. Wiputhalaeng changed their pleas to guilty of all charges. The sudden plea reversals prompted the Criminal Court to return the case to the Supreme Court for reconsideration.

 

The Criminal Court set February 6th for the reading of the verdict, but it was postponed, yet again, to April 30th, then again, to tomorrow, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/supreme-courts-verdict-on-5-udd-core-members-expected-friday/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-06-25

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

are these the guys that closed the airport down using violence yrs ago?ohhh same same but different.

I think it will be bad news for these guys today....anyway, they're all dodgy lads!

3 hours ago, rupert the bear said:

are these the guys that closed the airport down using violence yrs ago?ohhh same same but different.

Quite. That was the Yellow Shirts that set the precedent for all the nonsense that was to come.

 

To think, it all started because the government of the day removed the incompetent (and allegedly corrupt) Viroj, CEO of KTB. He had forgiven Sondhi, the media mogul, personal debt of THB 1.2 billion, so Sondhi started a campaign to oust the government in revenge. 

Edited June 26, 20206 yr by Mr Meeseeks

Way it reads, is if they did the time, they'd probably ll be out by now

Death penalty for all the red-shirt leaders sounds about right. No red-shirts, no problems.

Never forget:

 

5 hours ago, rupert the bear said:

are these the guys that closed the airport down using violence yrs ago?ohhh same same but different.

No. Those were yellows.  These are reds.

 

Sounds like the Supreme Court's role is now to the review the sentences only, since they changed their pleas to guilty after the appeal court confirmed their convictions. I don't know if they can expect any lenience for changing pleas at that point. It would have been different, if they had pleaded guilty in the court of first instance.

28 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Death penalty for all the red-shirt leaders sounds about right. No red-shirts, no problems.

Never forget:

 

And what penalty would you subscribe for treason?

9 minutes ago, billd766 said:

And what penalty would you subscribe for treason?

There is plenty of simmering....tension shall we say out on the sticks.  A harsh penalty will not go down well!