Former prime minister denies murder charges | Bangkok Post: learning

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He claims charges are false because as prime minister, he acted according to the law in an emergency situation to stop illegal violence.

Former Prime Minister Abhisit entering DSI headquarters through the mass of photographers (Bangkok Post: Tawatchai Kemgumnerd).

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Breakingnews

Abhisit, Suthep formally deny charges

13/12/2012
Online Reporters

Red-shirts waiting for the arrival of former Prime Minister Abhisit entering DSI headquarters (Bangkok Post: Tawatchai Kemgumnerd).Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban on Thursday formally denied the murder charges laid against them by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Democrat Party deputy leader Thavorn Senneam said Mr Thavorn, a member of the Democrat Party's legal team, said the plea was entered after the former prime minister and former deputy prime minister were notified of the charges of murder relating to the death of a taxi driver shot dead during the 2010 riots. 

The two men refused to sign a paper acknowledging conditions for their not being detained. The conditions would prohibit them from travelling out of the country without approval from investigators, from meddling with evidence, obstructing the investigation into the case, or doing anything which could cause serious damage.

Both  insisted they would be good citizens and would not attempt to flee.

Mr Thavorn said the two accused denied the charges, because they were not true. Under Article 68 of the Criminal Code, Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep were not at fault as they were the state authority performing their duty to stop the illegal violence occuring in the country.

Under Article 200 of the Criminal Code, DSI chief Tarit Pengdit, as chief investigator in the case, was at fault for bringing false charges against the two and could be liable to life imprisonment, the Democrat lawyer said.

Moreover, Article 17 of the executive decree for administration in emergency situations, known as the emergency decree, protects those in authority performing their duty under this law from either criminal or disciplinary action, Mr Thavorn said.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Breakingnews, Abhisit, Suthep formally deny charges, 13/12/2012, Online Reporters, link) 


Legal Vocabulary

murder - the crime of intentionally killing a person ฆาตกรรม
charges - the criminal case brought against a person by the government; accusation ข้อกล่าวหา,  คำกล่าวหา 
murder charges

deny - to not allow someone to have or do something ไม่ยอมรับ, ปฏิเสธ
deny charges - say you are not guilty (say you did not do the crime you are accused of doing)

formally - done in the correct way (following rules and the law)
formally deny charges
Abhisit, Suthep formally deny charges

lay charges against - claim that someone is guilty of a crime and began a legal process to determine guilt and punishment
lay murder charges against a person

bringing false charges against - saying that someone did crime they did not do

denied - said it was not true
formally denied the murder charges laid against them by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)

deputy - a person who is given the power to do something instead of another person, or the person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง, ตัวแทน,ผู้รักษาการแทน
deputy leader

Democrat Party deputy leader Thavorn Senneam 

plea - saying whether you accept guilt (for the crimes you are charged with)
enter a plea - to officially tell the court whether you accept guilt or will fight the case in court

notified - being told about something
notified of the charges

riot - a violent protest by a crowd of people
the 2010 riots
shot dead during the 2010 riots

the plea was entered after the former prime minister and former deputy prime minister were notified of the charges of murder relating to the death of a taxi driver shot dead during the 2010 riots

conditions - things that must happen or be true before other things can happen (in a legal agreement, for example)
detained - being kept in a jail as a prisoner
conditions for their not being detained

acknowledging - accepting that some facts are true การรับรู้ การยอมรับ การตระหนักรู้
acknowledging conditions for their not being detained
sign a paper acknowledging conditions for their not being detained

refused - said you will not do something you were asked to do
the two men refused to sign a paper acknowledging conditions for their not being detained

prohibit - to not allow; to ban ห้าม
prohibit them from travelling out of the country

approval - official permission การอนุมัต
approval from investigators

the condititons would prohibit them from travelling out of the country without approval from investigators

evidence - facts statements or objects that help to prove whether or not someone has committed a crime หลักฐาน หลักฐานประกอบการไต่สวนคดี หรือพิจารณาคดี

meddle - getting involved with and trying to change things which are none of your business 
meddling with evidence

obstruct - to take action to stop someone doing something
investigation - try to find out what happened during an event, discover the truth การสอบสวน  การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง
obstructing the investigation into the case

insisted - say firmly that something must happen or is true, and will not change mind
good citizens
Both  insisted they would be good citizens

flee - run away; escape; to leave a place or person quickly because you are afraid of possible danger หนี อพยพ
attempt to flee - try to run away
would not attempt to flee.

state - government รัฐ
authority - having  the power to make decisions and issue orders to solve problems   อำนาจในการสั่งการ
state authority 

accused - when people say that you are the one who committed a crime
the two accused denied the charges, because they were not true

illegal - against the law ผิดกฎหมาย, นอกกฎหมาย
violence - physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
illegal violence

duty - something that you have to do because it is part of your job, or something that you feel is the right thing to do หน้าที่, ความรับผิดชอบ
performing their duty to stop the illegal violence

Under Article 68 of the Criminal Code, Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep were not at fault as they were the state authority performing their duty to stop the illegal violence occuring in the country.

investigator - someone whose job is to officially find out the facts about something, especially a crime or accident ตำรวจฝ่ายสอบสวนคดีอาชญากรรม
chief investigator in the case

imprisonment - the punishment of being put in prison จำคุก
life imprisonment

liable - legally responsible for causing dame or injury มีความรับผิดชอบตามกฎหมาย
liable to life imprisonment

Under Article 200 of the Criminal Code, DSI chief Tarit Pengdit, as chief investigator in the case, was at fault for bringing false charges against the two and could be liable to life imprisonment

executive - the highest level managers in a company
decree - an official order or decision made by the ruler of a country
executive decree

emergency - an unexpected situation involving danger in which immediate action is necessary เหตุฉุกเฉิน
emergency situations
emergency decree

administration - the activities involved in the management of an organization, a business or the government
administration in emergency situations

discipline - the punishment of people who break rules 
disciplinary - related to the punishment of people who break rules 

disciplinary action
protect from disciplinary action

Article 17 of the executive decree for administration in emergency situations

protects those in authority performing their duty under this law from either criminal or disciplinary action

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