Thai anti-coup protester sentenced under junta
4 July 2014 11:38 PM GMT
A Thai court on Thursday passed a suspended prison sentence on an anti-coup activist for breaching a ban on political gatherings, his lawyer said, in the first protest-related verdict since the military takeover. Weerayuth Kongkanathan, 49, was given a one-month suspended jail term after being found guilty of violating martial law by protesting against the coup launched by Thailand’s army on May 22. ‘He was found guilty of violating the order prohibiting political gatherings... the first one to be convicted under the NCPO (junta body) order,’ Pawinee Chumsri, one of the lawyers representing Weerayuth, told AFP.
Political assemblies of more than five people were banned under martial law declared by army chief Prayut Chan-o-Cha two days before he ousted the kingdom’s caretaker government.
Weerayuth was detained by soldiers for protesting against the military takeover in the Thai capital Bangkok a day after the coup. The city’s Pathumwan Municipal Court sentenced him to two months in jail and imposed a fine of USD 185 -- both of which were reduced by half when Weerayuth pleaded guilty.
The anti-coup activist was relieved to escape jail but vowed to continue resisting military rule, despite facing prison if he participates in further demonstrations.
Political assemblies of more than five people were banned under martial law declared by army chief Prayut Chan-o-Cha two days before he ousted the kingdom’s caretaker government.
Weerayuth was detained by soldiers for protesting against the military takeover in the Thai capital Bangkok a day after the coup. The city’s Pathumwan Municipal Court sentenced him to two months in jail and imposed a fine of USD 185 -- both of which were reduced by half when Weerayuth pleaded guilty.
The anti-coup activist was relieved to escape jail but vowed to continue resisting military rule, despite facing prison if he participates in further demonstrations.
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