Appeal Court rejects Abhisit's defamation suit against Jatuporn
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The Appeal Court yesterday rejected a libel suit filed by former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva against red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Promphan, saying Jatuporn's criticism when Abhisit was prime minister was honestly made.
The plaintiff said on May 10, 2009 that Jatuporn, a leader of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), defamed him in front of 10,000 people through loud speakers at Wat Phai Kiew Temple in Don Muang in Bangkok by calling him a “tyrant” whose “hands are tainted with blood” who deserved to be sentenced to death for killing people.
The Court of First Instance rejected the case on December 27, 2012, saying that to comment was tantamount to political retaliation under democratic system. The Appeal Court said yesterday the comments by Jatuporn were honestly made and also rejected the case.
Abhisit and his legal team will seek to continue to fight the case at the Supreme Court, however, citing a minority voice among the judges yesterday, who expressed the opinion that Jatuporn was guilty and should be sentenced to six months in prison.
Paiboon Pho-noi, Abhisit’s lawyer, said he would study the appendix of the ruling, which is 20 pages long and includes the minority view of that judge.
