Prachatai (7 August 2009: “Court to rule on Da Torpedo’s lèse majesté case on Aug 28”) has a short report stating that the final evidence was heard on 5 August and that Darunee Charnchoensilpakul’s lese majeste verdict will be delivered on 28 August. Recall that the whole trial has been conducted in secret, in a closed court.
That is the same day she appears in court on a case in which she is being sued for defamation by one of the chief planners of the 2006 coup General Saprang Kanlayanamitr. Saprang, an outspoken royalist, was also one of the main PAD tacticians.
PPT expects that the farcical trial, conducted by a judge who closed the court, will deliver a conviction on the lese majeste charge. As she refused to plead guilty, Darunee can also expect a long sentence.
