Supreme Court jails Jatuporn for defaming Abhisit
published : 20 Jul 2017 at 14:11
writer: Online Reporters
The Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan to one year in prison for defaming former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in a speech he made during a rally on May 10, 2009.
The two lower courts dismissed the case, ruling the verbal attack to be just politics and that there were no legal grounds for defamation.
Jatuporn was sued by Mr Abhisit for a speech he made during a rally on May 10, 2009, accusing the then-prime minister of ordering soldiers to use lethal force against protesters in April, around the time Mr Abhisit's car was attacked by red-shirts.
Mr Abhisit filed the case on June 11, 2009, complaining that Jatuporn’s speech aroused hatred and seriously damaged his reputation. The rally was at Wat Phai Khew in Don Muang district of Bangkok.
The first court of instance dismissed the case on Dec 27, 2012.
Mr Abhisit appealed the ruling, and lost the case on Dec 26, 2014.
The Democrat leader then took the case to the Supreme Court, which on Thursday ruled in his favour. Jatuporn was sentenced to one year in prison, without suspension. He was ordered to advertise the ruling in a newspaper for seven days.
Jatuporn was at the court to hear the verdict. He was detained, handcuffed and taken to Bangkok remand prison.
