Court Decides No Changes To Jatuporn's Bail

[webfact]

REDS LEADER

Court decides no changes to Jatuporn's bail

By The Nation

The Criminal Court yesterday confirmed bail conditions for Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan, saying he could take part in a public assembly of more than five people - provided he refrained from commenting on his terrorism case in connection with last year's riots.

Questions about Jatuporn's bail arose after he took part in the red-shirt rally on Sunday.

"I spelled out to Jatuporn's lawyer that he was banned from public assembly under a condition of obstructing or interfering with the investigation or the judicial proceedings in his case," deputy chief judge Manit Sukanan said.

Manit said he met with the defence because Jatuporn lodged a petition seeking clarification on his bail conditions. The court earlier issued a ban for public assembly and a gag order for any comments related to the case.

The deputy chief judge said he ruled to drop Jatuporn's petition because the court order on the two issues was already clear and he took time to point it out to the defence.

The ban specifically reminded Jatuporn not to agitate at public assemblies to sway the proceedings on his case, he said.

The gag order similarly prohibited the defence from commenting on the case in public with an exemption for remarks made from the House floor.

He said the courts had the discretion to make judicial rulings on bail review based on legal provisions and precedents. Outside factors had no bearing on the outcome of bail review, he said, explaining why the seven red-shirt leaders were denied bail despite the push by the Justice Minister last week.

The lower court's decision and the appellate review found no justification to grant the temporary release for the seven, he said.

Even though the defence reapplied for bail, it failed to cite any significant changes in the situation pertinent to the case to warrant the seven's release, he said. Examples of situation changes would include trial progress or partial completion of witness hearings, he said. In this case the trial had yet to start.

The Department of Special Investigation detected no violations of Jatuporn's ban, DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit said, dropping his plan to ask for bail to be revoked.

-- The Nation 2011-01-11

[Buchholz]

Why is it that Red Shirt Leader Jatuporn's bail conditions are quite different from Red Shirt Leader Veera's bail conditions?

Double standards?

.

[asiawatcher]

Why is it that Red Shirt Leader Jatuporn's bail conditions are quite different from Red Shirt Leader Veera's bail conditions?

Double standards?

As is often cited, "the law is an ass". And I concur, absolutely.

[webfact]

DSI's renewed attempt to revoke Jatuporn's bail

By The Nation

The Department of Special Investigation will tomorrow petition for a judicial review to revoke the bail for Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan.

DSI director general Tharit Pengdit said on Tuesday he now had implicating evidence to prove Jatuporn violated the condition for his temporary release.

Tharit contends Jatuporn recently gave two press interviews to intimidate him as the lead investigator in charge of the terrorism case in connection with last year's riots.

In other remarks, Jatuporn was critical of the court order to ban him from attending a public assembly.

Jatuporn's release hinges on the condition that he refrains from obstructing or intefering with the investigation and the judicial process on his case.

-- The Nation 2011-01-11