Jatuporn's lese majeste charge to drop: DSI
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The Department of Special Investigation has found no cause to invoke the lese majeste law against Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Promphan, DSI director general Tarit Pengdith said on Thursday.
“The DSI report recommends for charges be dropped,” he said in reference to the report being forwarded for the approval of public prosecutors.
Tarit said the report found that Jatuporn’s rally speech on April 10, 2011 could not be construed as violating Article 112 of the Criminal code. The provision is the key clause on royal insult.
To mark one year after the crackdown on the red shirts at Rajdamnoen Avenue, Jatuporn spoke to the reds at the Democracy Monument.
In his speech, he made a reference to “royally-bestowed bullets”. The phrase came up while Jatuporn was attacking the military and the Abhisit Vejjajiva government for the crackdown.
In retaliation, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha instructed the military legal team to file a complaint. The case was subsequently assigned to the DSI.
