[JURIST] A Bangkok Criminal Court [official website] on Wednesday sentenced “Red Shirt” supporter Jatuporn Prompan to two years in prison for defaming former prime minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva [BBC profile; JURIST news archive]. Prompan was charged with defamation [AP report] for accusing Abhisit of ordering the killings of protesters and taking action in preventing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra [BBC profile] from seeking a royal pardon. Prompan is also currently facing pending charges [JURIST report] for actions sprouting from the 2010 protests by Red Shirt supporters who occupied downtown Bangkok before being dispersed by Abhisit’s government forces authorized to use live ammunition in limited circumstances.

Thailand’s political system has been unstable since the 2006 military coup [AHRC backgrounder, PDF] by the Royal Thai Army against then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Recently, Thailand’s military-appointed legislature voted to impeach Red Shirt backed former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra [JURIST news archive]. In 2013 Yingluck Shinawatra announced [JURIST report] that there would be no early election in response to recent mass protests by citizens who wanted her removed from office. Also in 2013 protesters in Thailand demanded [JURIST report] assistance in overthrowing the government after Shinawatra survived a no-confidence vote by parliament. In response to the protests, Shinawatra invoked a special security law [JURIST report] in districts of Bangkok and nearby areas after protesters stormed and occupied several key ministries.