ISN HOTNEWS

The lawyer of Jatuporn Prompan has asked the Criminal Court to clarify its decision to bar the opposition MP from involvement in political rallies as a condition for his release on bail.

The Puea Thai Party list MP is among 19 core leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) facing terrorism charges.

Mr Jatuporn has been released on bail on the understanding that he must not get involved in political rallies or activities involving five or more people, or activities that could obstruct investigators or damage their case or court procedures.

He must not disseminate information that could cause damage to people. He is allowed to speak on issues relating to the charges only as an MP during a parliamentary meeting.

His lawyer, Karom Polthaklang, argued yesterday that the bail conditions interfered with Mr Jatuporn’s rights, liberty and freedom. He has lodged a complaint with the court.

Mr Karom said Mr Jatuporn was asking the court to clarify the conditions it had set so he could follow them more carefully.

Another member of the UDD, Voravut Vichaidit, yesterday petitioned Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to take legal action against Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, privy councillor Siddhi Savetsila and former prime minister Anand Panyarachun for allegedly committing lese majeste.

Mr Voravut said the three had offended the heir to the throne in conversations with Eric John, the former US ambassador to Thailand. He referred to their conversations recorded in a classified US cable released by WikiLeaks.

A lawyer for the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Thursday asked the Criminal Court to clarify the conditions of Jatuporn Prompan’s release on bail.

Mr Jatuporn, a Puea Thai list MP, is one of 19 UDD core members charged with terrorism.

He was rfeleased on bail after invoking his parliamentary immunity. His bail was extended after the House went into recess recently and his privilege ended.

On Dec 28 the Criminal Court dismissed the Depapartment of Special Investigation’s request for the withdrawal of bail for Mr Jatuporn.

The court instead issued additional bail conditions which prohibit Mr Jatuporn from taking part in a gathering or an activity involving five or more people which may obstruct investigators or damage their case or court procedures, and from disseminating information to a person, a group of people or the public in a way that may cause similar damage. He is allowed to speak issues relating to the charges only as an MP during a parliamentary meeting.

The petition to the court said the bail conditions affect Mr Jatuporn’s rights, liberties and freedom to take part in the activities of the people under the constitution which pose no obstruction or cause no damage to the investigation or court procedures.

The court is, therefore, asked to clarify the conditions for bail so that Mr Jatuporn can act properly and does not do anything that may lead to his bail being revoked, the petition said.

The court is also asked to take into consideration the fact that it is necessary for Mr Jatuporn to perform his duties as an MP and member of the opposition, both inside and outside parliament.

The court accepted the request for consideration.

Picha Wichitsilp, chairman of a group of lawyers affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, on Thursday refiled a petition with the Election Commission asking it to renew the dissolution cases against the Democrat Party.

In the petition to EC chairman Apichart Sukhagghanond, the Democrat Party is again accused of misusing a 29 million baht political development fund allocated by the EC when campaigning for the April 2, 2005 general election, and of receiving an illegal 258 million baht donation from cement giant TPI Polene Plc, also in 2005.

The EC had earlier filed two similar cases with the Constitution Court seeking the Democrat Party’s dissolution.

In the 29 million baht fund case, six Constitution Court judges voted 4:2 to dismiss the case on Nov 29. The four majority judges said the process of filing the case was procedurally incorrect, as it was filed well after the 15-day deadline required by Section 93 of the Political Party Act.

The illegal case was dropped by the Constitution Court on Dec 9 on a 4:3 vote, with the majority finding, again, that the EC had not followed proper legal procedure.

Mr Picha said he sought the renewal of the two cases because were dismissed on a legal technicality, and the Constitution Court had not ruled whether the Democrat Party was guilty as accused.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship is calling on its supporters across the country to set up committees in preparation for the reform of the red shirt movement.

UDD chair Thida Thavornseth said yesterday committees at the tambon, district and provincial levels should be up and running by the end of this month. The UDD structure would be reorganised next month to help the group implement its strategies more effectively.

The UDD has appointed former election candidates Cherdchai Tantisirin and Arphon Sarakham, wife of red shirt member Kwanchai Praipana, to sit on the UDD central committee. Mr Thida said the two represent red shirts in the North.

Ms Thida, wife of detained red shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn, said the group would not back down from its push for the release of core red shirt leaders including her husband.

The Criminal Court on Tuesday refused bail for the seven red shirt leaders who have been detained since last year’s protests.

The UDD is planning to hold a rally on Sunday at the Democracy Monument and will move to Ratchaprasong intersection where they will light candles in honour of those killed in the government action which took place in April and May.

She said the group had sent a petition to the International Criminal Court in the Hague asking it to observe the trials of the red shirt leaders.

In the letter, the UDD claims the red shirt leaders have been denied their constitutional rights and are vulnerable to injustice.

She said the protest group hoped the observation of the trials by the International Criminal Court would encourage a fair trial and spread the facts and progress of the case to the international community, which, she said, was eager to learn about the red shirts’ fate.