The Criminal Court sentenced leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee to imprisonment for trying to oust the Yingluck Shinawatra government and obstructing a general election.
The sentence concerned their anti-government protests in 2013 and 2014. The court found them guilty of inciting people to go on strike, trespassing on government properties, damaging properties, disobeying the government and obstructing a general election. The court acquitted the defendants of treason.
The jail sentence was imposed on 27 PDRC leaders. Suthep Thaugsuban was sentenced to five years in jail, Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan six years and 16 months, Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta seven years and Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam five years.
Imprisonment was suspended for 12 people. Another 12 people were acquitted and seven people lost their political rights.
Sentenced people placed a bail of 600,000 baht each to seek temporary release. Some of them were granted bail. The court denied bail for eight PDRC leaders who faced harsh punishment and they were brought to the Bangkok Remand Prison pending their petition for temporary release with the Appeal Court.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the three ministers who faced a jail sentence from the court immediately lost their ministerial seats in compliance with Section 160(7) of the constitution. They would not lose their MP status unless the court denied them political rights, he said. (TNA)
