Court acquits Jatuporn in Suthep defamation case
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The Criminal Court Monday ruled that red-shirt leader and Pheu Thai party-list MP Jatuporn Promphan had not defamed former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban in a comment he made in 2009.
Suthep alleged that Jatuporn defamed him when the red-shirt leader told a press conference on December 4, 2009 that Suthep planned to have some 5,000 labour immigrants from neighbouring countries pass as red-shirt demonstrators.
Jatuporn said Suthep planned to have the immigrants destroy the King’s pictures on Rajdamnoen Road to prompt the public to be angry at red-shirt protesters.
The court ruled that Jatuporn had justifiable grounds to express that fear.
The court said Jatuporn and Suthep were political opponents and a senior metropolitan police officer had testified that there were really foreigners among the demonstrators and that sometimes certain situations were created during demonstrations.
As a result, the court ruled, Jatuporn simply expressed the concern to protect his side’s interest.
