DHAKA: A Thai court Thursday passed a suspended prison sentence on an anti-coup activist for breaching a ban on political gatherings, his lawyer said, in the first protest-related verdict since the military takeover.

Weerayuth Kongkanathan, 49, was given a one-month suspended jail term after being found guilty of violating martial law by protesting against the coup launched by Thailand’s army on May 22.

‘He was found guilty of violating the order prohibiting political gatherings... the first one to be convicted under the NCPO (junta body) order,’ Pawinee Chumsri, one of the lawyers representing Weerayuth, told media, reports The Straits Times.

Political assemblies of more than five people were banned under martial law declared by army chief Prayut Chan-o-Cha two days before he ousted the kingdom’s caretaker government.

BDST: 2041 HRS, JULY 03, 2014