Court gives two-month extension in PDRC cases
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The Criminal Court yesterday postponed the deadline for examination of evidence against defendants involved in protest rallies organised by the now-defunct People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) by two months.
The four defendants are Sontiyan Cheunreuthainaitham, 53, Sakoltee Phattiyakul, 38, Seri Wongmontha, 66, and Sombat Thamrongthanyawong, 64, who is also a former rector of the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA).
Apart from sedition, the four defendants face eight other charges over their participation in the PDRC’s 2013-14 demonstrations against the Yingluck Shinawatra administration. The protesters occupied key public places including several government offices and polling stations.
The other 44 PDRC figures face the same allegations but have not yet been charged because of lack of sufficient evidence. The prosecutors said they would speed up interrogation so they could merge the cases of prospective defendants with the current ones to facilitate the future investigation process.
Viroj Roomsirisawat, the defendants’ lawyer, made a request to the court to postpone the date of evidence examination, stating there was a great number of evidence documents that he had not yet examined.
Viroj also asked the prosecutors to submit testimony records against his clients so they could choose capable witnesses who could help confirm facts against the accusations.
The prosecutors were not against his request and also asked to work on the documents for two months for the same reason.
One defendant, Sombat, denied his alleged actions to the court, saying that he simply gave speeches on the PDRC’s stages and never intended to engage in the acts he has been accused of.
He also asked the court to hasten the trial, as he is overwhelmed with work and teaching.
The court scheduled both sides to be present at the court on February 26 to re-examine all evidence.
