Court reduces penalty for Jon and others from 2007 protest
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The Court of Appeals Wednesday overturned a lower court decision and acquitted Magsaysay award winner and former senator Jon Ungpakorn and nine others of instigating riots during a protest at Parliament in December 2007.
Prosecutors had accused the 10 of leading protesters to block entrances to the Parliament with six-wheel trucks carrying large loudspeakers, as well as preventing Parliament officials from going inside the compound to carry out their duties while hundreds of protesters broke into the Parliament and assaulted security officials.
The Criminal Court on March 28, 2009 sentenced six defendants to two years in jail and fines of Bt9,000, but the sentences were commuted to one year and four months on the grounds the defendants’ testimonies were of use to the trial.
Four others, sentenced to one year in jail and Bt9,000 in fines, had their jail terms commuted to eight months and fines reduced to Bt6,000.
The Nation
