Erawan bombing trial postponed: Interpreter jumps bail on drug charge
Court appointed translator facing drugs charges skips bail. Washington-based member of World Uighur Congress proposed as new interpreter.
Court appointed translator facing drugs charges skips bail. Washington-based member of World Uighur Congress proposed as new interpreter.
BANGKOK BOMBING
Erawan bombing trial postponed: Interpreter jumps bail on drug charge
23/08/2016
Achara Ashayagachat
The first court hearing in the Erawan Shrine bombing trial has been postponed to next month.
The reason given for the delay was that the interpreter appointed for the defendants has jumped bail on a drugs charge.
and thus a language interpreter is needed to communicate with them.
The two defendants are charged with the bombing of the renowned Erawan shrine at Ratchaprasong intersection, Bangkok, on Aug 17, 2015, that killed 20 people and injured 125 others.
DEFENDANTS NOT TORTURED, SAYS COURT
The Bangkok Military Court also rejected allegations by the two Uighur defendants that they were tortured in custody to confess to the bombing.
In previous preliminary hearings, the two men said that they were tortured and mistreated by their jailors in military detention, and on Tuesday pleaded to be moved to a different correctional facility.
"After investigating these claims, the court finds them to be false and the defendants will remain where they are since this is a case of national security,'' one of the three judges on the panel ruled.
The judges have not been identified in keeping with protocol in military trials.
MILITARY TRIAL & DETENTION
The judges said the defendants' safety may be at risk in a regular correctional facility because of the high-profile nature of the case, and that they were safer in military detention.
After the decision, the court approved the postponement of the trial as requested by defence lawyers, who applied for a change of interpreter.
[Note: This is apparently the same Uzbek national Sirojiddin Bakhodirov who was involved in many murky news stories in June of this year, see here & here].
Senior defence counsel Schoochart Kanpai asked the court to approve Omer Katan, a Washington - based member of the World Uyghur Congress, as the new interpreter.
The three-member bench withheld immediate approval, directing the military prosecutor to verify Mr Katan's qualifications and background within seven days.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1069081/erawan-bombing-trial-adjourned-to-sept-15
สามารถฝึกอ่านออกเสียงและดูคำแปลได้ที่ : http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/1069133/erawan-bombing-trial-postponed-interpreter-jumps-bail-on-drug-charge
