Chiang Rai Redshirts Cleared Of 2010 Charge

[Lite Beer]

Chiang Rai Redshirts Cleared Of 2010 Charge

By Khaosod English.

Chiang Rai provincial court has found 5 Redshirts activists not guilty of their charges under the Emergency Decree enacted during the 2010 political unrest.

The authorities have previously charged the activists, local Redshirts coordinators and operators of a "community radio" station, of violating the State of Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to quell the Redshirts mass protests in Bangkok.

According to the complaints, on 17 May 2010 the five defendants organised a rally in front of Chiang Rai City Hall to protest against the ongoing military crackdown on their fellow demonstrators in Bangkok, hence violating the Emergency Decree which bans political gathering and dissemination of false information.

The defendants argued that they were exercising their political rights protected by the Constitution, and that they were merely trying to urge the authorities to call off military crackdown on the Redshirts in the capital city.

After five postponements, the judges today finally ruled that the defendants were simply exercising their freedom of peaceful assembly as protected by the Thai Constitution.

Furthermore, the court noted that in their demonstration the defendants were stating simple facts - that the there was indeed a military operation using live ammunition against the Redshirts protesters in Bangkok, and that the violence resulted in some fatalities as the defendants said in their rally.

"There is no clear evidence of any distortion of fact in the defendants' speech," the judges said in the ruling, hence acquitting the five defendants of all charges.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1395730847&section=11&typecate=06

-- Khaosod English 2014-03-25

[Local Drunk]

Surprise?

[TVGerry]

Of course they're 'innocent'.

[Costas2008]

"The defendants argued that they were exercising their political rights protected by the Constitution"

The Yellow supporters are saying exactly the same thing.

But Chalerm is after them, trying to send them to jail.

Double standards at it's best.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Costas2008

[phutoie2]

After five postponements, the judges today finally ruled that the defendants were simply exercising their freedom of peaceful assembly as protected by the Thai Constitution.

Case closed on this one. Move along please.

Edited March 25, 2014 by phutoie2

[Fat Haggis]

"The defendants argued that they were exercising their political rights protected by the Constitution"

The Yellow supporters are saying exactly the same thing.

But Chalerm is after them, trying to send them to jail.

Double standards at it's best.

And they'll get off too when the times comes for their trials.

[MunterHunter]

So are the courts still considered biased? Or do the PTP accept this ruling?

[Robby nz]

Now how could that happen when we have been told over and over on here by the red supporters that the courts are bias and all the judges are yellows and in the pockets of the elites.

OK fair enough if they didn't actually cause any trouble by their demo.

But it does set some sort of a precedent for what is going on at present with some of the charges Tarit is dreaming up.

[commie Joe]

"The defendants argued that they were exercising their political rights protected by the Constitution"

The Yellow supporters are saying exactly the same thing.

But Chalerm is after them, trying to send them to jail.

Double standards at it's best.

Why double standards ? The yellows get their day in court & the court will decide so no double standards

[Nickymaster]

Interesting. So you are allowed to protest when an emergency degree is in place. Good to know.

[toybits]

If this was to pave the way and set a precedent for whitewashing Mr. Suthep's little misdeeds these past recent months... then I really don't know what to think. Very devious of the courts to do so...

[Nickymaster]

"The defendants argued that they were exercising their political rights protected by the Constitution"

The Yellow supporters are saying exactly the same thing.

But Chalerm is after them, trying to send them to jail.

Double standards at it's best.

Why double standards ? The yellows get their day in court & the court will decide so no double standards

So the court will decide and clear them if the charges are similar. S.A.

[djjamie]

I don't really like the ruling. I thought they were guilty though the good Thai people as must I, accept it. Based on the rule of law which is a democratic principle this decision can only be overturned through appeal which is part of a democratic framework.

Edited March 25, 2014 by djjamie

[Pimay1]

I shudder to think what the reaction of the Chiang Rai reds along with their Chiang Mai comrades would have been if they were found guilty.

[Pikeybkk]

I don't really like the ruling. I thought they were guilty though the good Thai people as must I, accept it. Based on the rule of law which is a democratic principle this .

And why would you think they are guilty? Were you present at the event, did you hear the broadcast? Did you attend the court proceedings? Or did someone give you a CD and you played it and therefore you could come to a decision?

[Fat Haggis]

Interesting. So you are allowed to protest when an emergency degree is in place. Good to know.

Well considering that the PDRC have been doing exactly that through the last State of Emergency, I guess that should have answered your own question!!

[Local Drunk]

Interesting. So you are allowed to protest when an emergency degree is in place. Good to know.

Well considering that the PDRC have been doing exactly that through the last State of Emergency, I guess that should have answered your own question!!

They were protesting before an emergency degree was declared... just a few hundred at the time, but the government thought it serious enough to declare the SOE.

[Nickymaster]

Interesting. So you are allowed to protest when an emergency degree is in place. Good to know.

Well considering that the PDRC have been doing exactly that through the last State of Emergency, I guess that should have answered your own question!!

No. There is still a court. But good to know the court approves of it.

[xminator]

"The defendants argued that they were exercising their political rights protected by the Constitution"

The Yellow supporters are saying exactly the same thing.

But Chalerm is after them, trying to send them to jail.

Double standards at it's best.

So then the current mob can get the same treatment. Several months in jail, bail if lucky, then have their case heard in 2018 to be found not guilty.

[Now or Never]

I shudder to think what the reaction of the Chiang Rai reds along with their Chiang Mai comrades would have been if they were found guilty.

Agreed, the judge would have been lucky to get out of town alive.

[djjamie]

 

I don't really like the ruling. I thought they were guilty though the good Thai people as must I, accept it. Based on the rule of law which is a democratic principle this .

And why would you think they are guilty? Were you present at the event, did you hear the broadcast? Did you attend the court proceedings? Or did someone give you a CD and you played it and therefore you could come to a decision?

 

No, No. I absolutely, categorically agree with you 100%. I have heard and read a few articles here and there one of which was that the emergency decree states no more than 5 can gather which helped me draw conclusion. Like you rightly say though, I was not there, did not see it so no matter what I think or what Thai people think the courts decision has to be respected. The judges had all the evidence gathered in front of them. They had the witness statements, they are the law. With all this information they make a fair and correct ruling. If however the accuser does not agree I am sure he will work within the democratic parameters and lay an appeal. I am sure he will not burn coffins, threaten to kidnap judges or throw faeces at the front of any court houses.

Well done and thank you for ensuring we should all respect the courts decisions simply because they have all the evidence that we are not able to access.

[rreddin]

Surprise?

What a stupid response. PRDC are cleared of criminal charges arising from their protests in Bangkok because "they were exercising their constitutional right to demonstrate". The court has ruled these people were doing nothing different. The court in Bangkok set a precedent, which the court in Chiang Rai followed. But of course, you will not see it that way because you choose not to.

[phantomfiddler]

It was refreshing to see the redshirt on the front page of today,s Bangkok Post excercising his constitutional right to beat the c**p out of anyone critical of his vicious assault on another government protester. If the police do not put this psychotic nutter in jail they are obviously part of the problem. Is nothing sacred ?

[SICHONSTEVE]

Surprise?

Great news for the PDRC!!!

They are just paving the way to clear them by finding a few token reds not guilty of similar crimes.

[Muhendis]

I shudder to think what the reaction of the Chiang Rai reds along with their Chiang Mai comrades would have been if they were found guilty.

Agreed, the judge would have been lucky to get out of town alive.

Also I would imagine the council for the prosecution may have been mindful of his health if they were to be found guilty.

[Cricketnut]

Now how could that happen when we have been told over and over on here by the red supporters that the courts are bias and all the judges are yellows and in the pockets of the elites.

OK fair enough if they didn't actually cause any trouble by their demo.

But it does set some sort of a precedent for what is going on at present with some of the charges Tarit is dreaming up.

Because the ruling was made in changes Chang rai perhaps? Next....

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Smokemachine]

The judges are in a shit position.

Red shirt found guilty. They are been accused of yellow supporters.

Red shirt found not guilty. The courts are accused of clearing way to save the PDRC.

[JamesDean3]

They have their right to free speech as long as they dont beat up people.