ID :
100913
Mon, 01/18/2010 - 16:56
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http://m.oananews.org//node/100913
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Court accepts PM's defamation suit against Red Shirt leader
BANGKOK, Jan 18 (TNA) - Thailand's Criminal Court on Monday accepted Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's defamation suit against anti-government Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan who accused him of ordering state security forces to kill protesters during last year's mid-April chaos and delaying the group's petition seeking a royal pardon for fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The premier earlier appeared at court after filing a complaint against Mr Jatuporn, a key leader of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), for committing libel while speaking against the premier to Red Shirt supporters rallying at Bangkok's Democracy Monument on October 11 last year.
Mr Jatuporn told the crowd that Mr Abhisit exercised the king's power by delaying the process of UDD's petition seeking royal pardon for the convicted ex-premier.
On Octber 17, 2009 at UDD rally outside Government House, Mr Jatuporn also accused Mr Abhisit of committing a crime by ordering the killing of Red Shirt protesters who protested against his government in mid-April 2009.
The premier, as plaintiff, told the court that Mr Jatuporn's speech was groundless, saying concerned agencies are verifying the names and addresses of three million petitioners in the royal pardon petition.
The Red Shirts submitted their petition last August to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary asking that ousted premier Thaksin be allowed to return from self-imposed exile.
Regarding the mid-April chaos, Mr Abhisit told the court that he had not ordered any violence, that on the contrary, he ordered security personnel to respond with soft measures against the demonstrators.
The premier said that finally the protest ended by negotiation, and that Parliament has set up a special committee to probe whether two Red Shirt protesters were killed in the operation. The government’s investigation result showed that no one was killed during the chaos.
Mr Jatuporn did not appear at the criminal court Monday, but sent his lawyer to cross-question the premier as plaintiff.
The attorney said his client never accused the premier, but in his speech questioned the premier regarding the progress of the two cases.
The court nonetheless accepted the premier's defamation case and said that the first hearing will be scheduled by July 8.
Mr Abhisit imposed a state of emergency in the capital and five neighbouring provinces on April 12, saying he wanted to return the country to normalcy, one day after UDD protesters wrecked the 16-nation Asian summit in the seaside town of Pattaya.
Parts of the capital remained paralysed the next day by the protesters' blockade of key traffic intersections, demanding that Mr Abhisit resign unconditionally, the House of Representatives be dissolved and fresh elections be held.
The premier himself narrowly escaped violence by red-clad protesters who invaded the grounds and offices of the Ministry of Interior, smashing his car minutes after he imposed the measure and capturing and seriously injuring his top aide. (TNA)
The premier earlier appeared at court after filing a complaint against Mr Jatuporn, a key leader of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), for committing libel while speaking against the premier to Red Shirt supporters rallying at Bangkok's Democracy Monument on October 11 last year.
Mr Jatuporn told the crowd that Mr Abhisit exercised the king's power by delaying the process of UDD's petition seeking royal pardon for the convicted ex-premier.
On Octber 17, 2009 at UDD rally outside Government House, Mr Jatuporn also accused Mr Abhisit of committing a crime by ordering the killing of Red Shirt protesters who protested against his government in mid-April 2009.
The premier, as plaintiff, told the court that Mr Jatuporn's speech was groundless, saying concerned agencies are verifying the names and addresses of three million petitioners in the royal pardon petition.
The Red Shirts submitted their petition last August to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary asking that ousted premier Thaksin be allowed to return from self-imposed exile.
Regarding the mid-April chaos, Mr Abhisit told the court that he had not ordered any violence, that on the contrary, he ordered security personnel to respond with soft measures against the demonstrators.
The premier said that finally the protest ended by negotiation, and that Parliament has set up a special committee to probe whether two Red Shirt protesters were killed in the operation. The government’s investigation result showed that no one was killed during the chaos.
Mr Jatuporn did not appear at the criminal court Monday, but sent his lawyer to cross-question the premier as plaintiff.
The attorney said his client never accused the premier, but in his speech questioned the premier regarding the progress of the two cases.
The court nonetheless accepted the premier's defamation case and said that the first hearing will be scheduled by July 8.
Mr Abhisit imposed a state of emergency in the capital and five neighbouring provinces on April 12, saying he wanted to return the country to normalcy, one day after UDD protesters wrecked the 16-nation Asian summit in the seaside town of Pattaya.
Parts of the capital remained paralysed the next day by the protesters' blockade of key traffic intersections, demanding that Mr Abhisit resign unconditionally, the House of Representatives be dissolved and fresh elections be held.
The premier himself narrowly escaped violence by red-clad protesters who invaded the grounds and offices of the Ministry of Interior, smashing his car minutes after he imposed the measure and capturing and seriously injuring his top aide. (TNA)
