BANGKOK, Aug 2 – Key Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan, detained on terrorism charges, has been released on bail after the the elections agency officially endorsed his status as a member of parliament.
Fellow red leader Nisit Sinthuprai, detained on the same charges, was granted a temporary release after his wife Em-orn Sinthuprai was endorsed as an MP for the Pheu Thai Party.
The two prominent leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) were detained at Bangkok Remand Prison on terrorism charges in connection with the violence during last year’s ten week-long Red Shirt demonstrations against the Abhisit Vejjajiva government.
Mr Jatuporn and Mr Nisit were released immediately after the court order amid a cheerful welcome from their fellow leaders and gathered Red Shirt supporters greeting them in front of the prison.
Winyat Chartmontri, Mr Jatuporn’s lawyer, earlier said he has sought bail for his client many times but they were all rejected by court, which said that Mr Jatuporn’s MP-elect status has not yet been endorsed by the Election Commission (EC).
Mr Winyat said the EC finally endorsed his client’s MP status Monday evening and he has shown the endorsement document for the court’s consideration.
Karom Ponthaklang, another UDD lawyer, said he prepared one million baht as bail bond to seek temporary release of Mr Nisit and that the court should give him the chance as the detainee will not escape prosecution as his wife has just become an MP.
With the complaints, the court said there were sufficient grounds to change the previous order and decided to grant the temporary release for the two protest leaders but each of them had to post Bt600,000 as collateral.
The pair were also banned from any action which could incite disturbances, and Mr Nisit is forbidden to leave the kingdom without court permission.
