Wife of missing activist gets six months jail for encroachment

[webfact]

Wife of missing activist gets six months jail for encroachment

By PRATCH RUJIVANAROM 
THE NATION

 

 

CHAIYAPHUM: -- THE WIFE of a missing land rights activist was sentenced by the Supreme Court on Thursday to six months in jail on charges of encroachment on the Phu Sam Phaknam National Reserve forest in Chaiyaphum.

 

Phu Khiao Provincial Court yesterday read the Supreme Court’s judgment on the case, which concluded that Suphap Khamlae and her missing husband Den Khamlae had encroached on forestland.

 

The reading of the verdict had been postponed five times since August last year.

 

The Supreme Court upheld a Criminal Court judgment that sentenced Den and Suphap to six months in prison, while it dismissed allegations against three other defendants.

 

Defence lawyer Tanomsak Rawadchai said the verdict was final so his client Suphap would have to be imprisoned, but he added that he would continue to fight to seek a reduction in her punishment.

 

Tanomsak said the court still considered that Den, who has been missing since April last year, was still alive and a fugitive, despite a man’s skull that many believed to belong to him having been found in March in the forest where he went missing. 

 

“The court stated that the forensic examination on the disappearance of Den was still too weak to identify that he was dead, so there is an arrest warrant for him,” Tanomsak said.

 

The Central Institute of Forensic Science released the examination results of the skull showing that it belonged to a man who shared a genetic relation with the mother of Den’s sister, Khamtan Porsricha, but it failed to conclusively identify the missing activist.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30322016

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-28

[edwinchester]

Pretty obvious whose side justice and the investigative authorities are on in this case.

[Dave67]

Whats the history behind this?

[NCFC]

11 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

Whats the history behind this?

According to Khaosod:

 

 

Den became a prominent activist in 1985 after his Chaiyaphum farmland was taken by the government. They were promised land to use elsewhere, but Den and his neighbors later found the area designated for them was already occupied.

Since that time, Den led the local residents via the Essan Land Reform Network to fight their eviction and regain the land.

In 2011, Den and Suphab were charged with trespassing in the contested forest for working some land there, despite a 2010 cabinet resolution that gave them permission. The court ruled that resolution was not legally binding, according to Thanomsak.

The issue became more contentious under the military government, which made reclaiming public spaces a core policy. In 2014, authorities ordered Den and his neighbors to leave.

On April 16, 2016, Den, then 65, went out in the jungle to look for bamboo shoots and never came back.

[greenchair]

Just awfully sad the way Thai abuse their own people. 

That poor woman. First she loses her land and home. Then she loses her husband of many years. 

Finally she's put in prison to seal the deal. So why do the big land grabbers have the chance to give the land back with no prosecution??

[Dave67]

4 minutes ago, NCFC said:

According to Khaosod:

 

 

Den became a prominent activist in 1985 after his Chaiyaphum farmland was taken by the government. They were promised land to use elsewhere, but Den and his neighbors later found the area designated for them was already occupied.

Since that time, Den led the local residents via the Essan Land Reform Network to fight their eviction and regain the land.

In 2011, Den and Suphab were charged with trespassing in the contested forest for working some land there, despite a 2010 cabinet resolution that gave them permission. The court ruled that resolution was not legally binding, according to Thanomsak.

The issue became more contentious under the military government, which made reclaiming public spaces a core policy. In 2014, authorities ordered Den and his neighbors to leave.

On April 16, 2016, Den, then 65, went out in the jungle to look for bamboo shoots and never came back.

 

Cheers      

 

I don't get this bit "......who shared a genetic relation with the mother of Den’s sister, Khamtan Porsricha"

 

The mother of Dens sister is not Dens mother?  How could they have a "Genetic Relation". If they share the same mother why did they not write Dens Mother? Unless the family are from Suffolk this doesn't make sense.

 

[worgeordie]

Poor, so no suspended  sentence for them.

regards worgeordie

[greenchair]

1 hour ago, Dave67 said:

 

Cheers      

 

I don't get this bit "......who shared a genetic relation with the mother of Den’s sister, Khamtan Porsricha"

 

The mother of Dens sister is not Dens mother?  How could they have a "Genetic Relation". If they share the same mother why did they not write Dens Mother? Unless the family are from Suffolk this doesn't make sense.

 

It's thai speak for   " even though the report says this man is related to his sisters mother, it does not actually say it is him " therefore it could be the mothers brother, uncle, other son ,even though all of these people are alive and accounted for. It is the final appeal so there will be no chance to challenge this mastery of words. 

Similar to "we know you are innocent, therefore we cannot let you out on bail as that makes you a flight risk.

The mind boggles ??? 

[JAG]

Just awfully sad the way Thai abuse their own people. 
That poor woman. First she loses her land and home. Then she loses her husband of many years. 
Finally she's put in prison to seal the deal. So why do the big land grabbers have the chance to give the land back with no prosecution??

We both know the answer to that (rhetorical) question don't we "greenchair"?

[YetAnother]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

who has been missing since April last year,

still dangerous to be an activist here

[Dave67]

1 hour ago, greenchair said:

It's thai speak for   " even though the report says this man is related to his sisters mother, it does not actually say it is him " therefore it could be the mothers brother, uncle, other son ,even though all of these people are alive and accounted for. It is the final appeal so there will be no chance to challenge this mastery of words. 

Similar to "we know you are innocent, therefore we cannot let you out on bail as that makes you a flight risk.

The mind boggles ??? 

Thanks, I read it about 6 times and it was still garbled 

[zyphodb]

Very sad...  

[farcanell]

Didn't I just read that the police chief said that the laws will apply equally.... oh... right... 

[Thingamabob]

Disgusting.

[Artisi]

4 hours ago, farcanell said:

Didn't I just read that the police chief said that the laws will apply equally.... oh... right... 

That's correct, equally to all hi so and connected others and disproportionately equally to the others.

Edited July 28, 2017 by Artisi

[wakeupplease]

jail anyone who does not agree with you seems to be the norm, even when they have been robbed right left and centre says so much about those at the top. One day their turn will come, but it will not be jail.

[thaiguzzi]

Nice.

Kick 'em whilst they are down...