By Pipob Udomittipong |
<p>Amphon Tangnoppakul, 62 years, died while being imprisoned in Thailand today. </p>
<p>On 3 May, National Human Rights Commissioner Dr Niran Phithakwatchara testified as the last defence witness in the lèse majesté trial of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk. The Criminal Court set 19 Sept for the prosecution and defence to hear its decision on when the verdict would be delivered, as the defence team had sought a ruling from the Constitution Court on the constitutionality of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lèse majesté law.</p>
<p>A defamation lawsuit between Thai Rath newspaper and yellow-shirt leader Sondhi Limthongkul has been settled after Sondhi, the defendant, admitted that he had defamed the newspaper by presenting incorrect information in his ASTV-Manager talk show programme, as well as through his newspaper and website, and agreed to publish his apology for three days.</p>
<p>On 2 May, two Thammasat lecturers testified as defence witnesses in the lèse majesté trial of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, former editor of Voice of Taksin magazine.</p>
<p>On 1 May, Somyot Prueksakasemsuk testified to the court that ‘Jitr Pollachan’ was the penname of Jakrapop Penkair who wrote two articles which brought lèse majesté charges down on him.</p>
<p>On 30 April, the Criminal Court in Bangkok postponed its verdict in the case of Prachatai Director Chiranuch Premchaiporn to 30 May, citing that the case had a lot of documents. </p>
<p>30th April 2012</p>
<p>Dear All,</p>
<p>I write to you to share my thoughts before the verdict will be read in the next 7 hours. Although I still don't know any answer for my life, I wish we can win the case but I should prepare for unexpected results too. Many of you asked how do I feel as the verdict is approaching. Honestly, there were mixed feelings. On the one hand, I'm glad that I'm able to get some guide of my future, it might be better than never known.</p>
<p>On 24 April, prior to the start of hearings on Somyot Prueksakasemsuk’s lèse majesté case, the defence lawyers asked the Criminal Court to send their petition to the Constitutional Court to consider the constitutionality of Section 112 of the Criminal Code.</p>
<p>The gathering of royalists in front of the Army Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Rd on 21 April to ‘recall power from politicians betraying the land’ has been dismissed by ASTV-Manager as an ‘ammat mob’ or a rally by the elite.</p>
<p>The legal defence team for Somyot Prueksakasemsuk will on 24 April ask the Constitution Court to consider whether the penalty under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lèse majesté law, is too severe, and whether the association of the law with national security is against the constitution, Somyot’s wife Sukanya told Prachatai on 22 April. </p>
<p>On 20 April, four prosecution witnesses testified in the ongoing trial of Somyot’s case at the Criminal Court in Bangkok. </p>
<p>On 10 April, the Prime Minister’s Office appealed a verdict of the Administrative Court which ordered it to pay compensation to Rayu Dokho for the abuse he suffered at the hands of security officers when he was arrested as a suspect in southern unrest in 2008.</p>
<p>On 18 April, lèse majesté case of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk continued at the Criminal Court in Bangkok with the testimonies of prosecution witnesses including military officers and university students. </p>