EC accuses activist, critic of libel
The Election Commission (EC) has sued political activist Nuttaa Mahuttana and political critic Sirote Klampaiboon for allegedly libeling the agency.
Sirote on Friday posted on Facebook that he had received a summons demanding that he and Nuttaa report to the police on Thursday, April 11.
The complaint against the duo was filed by the EC’s legal chief Nawat Boonsri, accusing them of co-defaming the agency.
Sirote said it is the first time he has been summoned by the police and he wrote that he is perplexed how he had defamed the EC.
“I’m confident when I spoke of the EC ... I always insisted that most of the criticisms against the agency were about the inefficiency in the operational level,” he said.
“It’s never about the commissioners and never about accusing them of committing fraud.”
Nuttaa posted on Facebook that the charge may have stemmed from the special news programme on election day which the duo co-hosted.
“This is the fifth summons I've got. And I have another suspect here - Sirote. So, this means that this stemmed from us doing our duty as media on election day,” Nuttaa wrote. “I’m confident I have never been libelous. All I did was inform the people about the rules and regulations of the vote.”
Both said they would report to the police as requested.