The Appeal Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s judgement that acquitted former deputy prime minister and former People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban of defaming three key red-shirt readers during the 2011 election.
A lawsuit filed by prosecutors claimed that in a May 22, 2011 press interview at a hotel in the Laksi area, Mr Suthep implied that three core leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) --Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut Saikuar and Weng Tojirakarn -- were accountable for widespread torchings in Bangkok and other provinces during the red-shirts’ protests against the Abhisit Vejjajiva government.
Mr Suthep also alleged that the three UDD leaders had political links with the Pheu Thai Party in remarks he made during the lead-up to the 2011 election.
His remark was defamatory to the three UDD leader and the Pheu Thai Party, said the public prosecutors.
The lower court dismissed the case, deciding that in his capacity as deputy prime minister responsible for security at the time, Mr Suthep had made an honest comment about the incident based on a report by the Department of Special Investigation. The prosecution then appealed against the ruling.
The Appeal Court on Tuesday upheld the lower court’s ruling to acquit Mr Suthep of the defamation charges.