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Thai Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan sentenced to two years' jail for defaming former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva
ABC Radio Australia - January 28, 2015
The ruling comes days after the retroactive impeachment and announcement of corruption charges against ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whose toppled government was backed by the Red Shirts before May's army coup.
The court convicted Jatuporn on two counts of defamation against former royalist prime minister Abhisit during speeches he made in October 2009, sentencing him to two years in jail without suspension.
In his speeches, Jatuporn accused Mr Abhisit of ordering the killing of people and obstructing the submission of a petition to His Majesty the King seeking a royal pardon for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Jatuporn's lawyer Winyat Chatmontree confirmed the sentencing, saying his client would not be imprisoned until the conclusion of his appeal. "The court has approved bail, after this we will submit an appeal," he told AFP news agency.
Jatuporn, chairman of the Red Shirts, faced a slew of court cases including for slander in recent years.
Thailand analyst David Streckfuss told AFP the ruling was the latest attempt to quash any opposition to the military regime. "It seems to be part of a larger plan by the Bangkok establishment to silence and force aside their vocal critics," he said.
Anti-coup voices – including lawmakers from former prime minister Ms Shinawatra's former ruling Puea Thai party, academics and students' groups – have been silenced after the army outlawed political gatherings, briefly summoned dissenters and censored the media.
The same day Ms Yingluck was impeached, prosecutors announced corruption charges that could see her face a decade in jail.
Stay out of Thai affairs, US told
Meanwhile, Thailand's military-appointed government called in America's Charge d'Affairs to warn the United States not to interfere in internal matters.
During a visit this week, US assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific David Russel told Thai leaders they were losing credibility in the eyes of their international friends.
He urged them to end martial law, restore civil rights and hold an election. That has led to a dressing down for the US acting ambassador who was called in this morning.
The deputy foreign minister said Thai people had wounds in their heart from the US visit and the last year's coup stopped civil war erupting in Thailand. (ABC/AFP)
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