Former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan has been sentenced to five years in prison for revealing classified Ministry of Foreign Affairs documents during a TV broadcast in 2009. The Thai Rath Online reported that Jatuporn was found guilty of a national security offense for disclosing government documents without authorization. These documents contained sensitive information about international relations between Thailand and Cambodia.
During the trial, Jatuporn, who was an opposition party MP at the time, defended himself by stating that he did not intend to commit the offense. He claimed that the documents falsely accused the Red Shirt Movement of trying to overthrow the government, which led him to expose the material to prove its unlawfulness. However, the court ruled that the disclosure of these documents could have caused misunderstandings and damaged diplomatic relations between Thailand and Cambodia.
The court found Jatuporn guilty of attempting to procure secrets for others under Section 124 of the Criminal Code. As a result, he was sentenced to five years in prison without parole. Despite this, he was later granted provisional bail after providing 250,000 baht as security.
The leaked documents indeed had a significant impact on the diplomatic ties between Thailand and Cambodia, leading to a downgrade in relations and the recall of diplomats from both countries. The court emphasized that Jatuporn was fully aware of the sensitive nature of the documents and the potential consequences of their public dissemination on national security and diplomatic relations.
This case highlights the importance of handling classified information responsibly and the severe consequences that can arise from unauthorized disclosures. It serves as a reminder of the need for individuals in positions of power to respect the confidentiality of government documents to avoid jeopardizing national security and international relations.
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