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Thai opposition leader on trial over Red Shirt crackdown

The leader of street protests which preceded Thailand's latest coup appeared in court on July 28 on a murder charge over a crackdown on opposition "Red Shirt" supporters four years ago.
The leader of street protests which preceded Thailand's latest coupappeared in court on July 28 on a murder charge over a crackdown onopposition "Red Shirt" supporters four years ago.

As deputyprime minister of the then Democrat Party government, Suthep was accusedof ordering a firing into Red Shirt supporter, leaving 98 people deadand hundreds of others wounded in the heart of Bangkok in 2010.

However, Suthep denied the charge at the court.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Prime Minister at thetime of the crackdown, also appeared alongside his former deputy incourt. He has also denied a murder charge against him.

The judge ordered the pair to return on August 28 for the next hearing in their joint trial.

Suthep marshalled seven months of protests against the government ofPrime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, paving the way for the May 22 coup.

The army said it was forced to grab power to avert widespreadviolence after gun and grenade attacks linked to the protests leftnearly 30 people dead.-VNA
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