Thread: EU Condemns Thai Use of Libel Laws

Thailand's increase misuse of criminal defamation harms freedom of expression | Prachatai English

Bangkok, 14 November 2014 – The EU is committed to promoting and protecting the freedom of opinion and expression worldwide. The EU Delegation wishes to express its concern over the increasing misuse of criminal defamation laws in Thailand. The EU believes that defamation laws should not be misused to censor criticism and debate concerning public issues as this constitutes a serious threat to Freedom of Expression. Recent cases brought against Human Rights Defender Andy Hall, journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian from the "Phuketwan" newspaper, and the freelance journalist Andrew Drummond, have served to demonstrate how criminal defamation laws are vexatiously used to silence freedom of expression and investigative journalism in the country. The EU would like to appeal to State authorities to fully abide by their international obligations. As part of wider reform in Thailand, we urge the National Reform Council to address this issue, so that criminal defamation laws cannot in the future be used as a means of silencing legitimate analysis or debate.

Stop Misuse of Laws to Silence Journalists and Advocates, EU Tells Thailand - Phuket Wan

PHUKET: Criminal defamation laws are being ''vexatiously used to silence freedom of expression and investigative journalism'' in Thailand, says the European Union Delegation, urging the country's National Reform Council to address the issue.






The criticism from the EU comes in a media release that mentions the controversial cases being brought against Phuketwan journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian, British human rights defender Andy Hall and investigative reporter Andrew Drummond.

''The EU Delegation wishes to express its concern over the increasing misuse of criminal defamation laws in Thailand,'' the statement says, reflection the views of all countries in the EU.

''The EU believes that defamation laws should not be misused to censor criticism and debate concerning public issues as this constitutes a serious threat to freedom of expression.''

Based on Phuket, Morison and Khun Chutima are being prosecuted by the Royal Thai Navy, using criminal defamation and the Computer Crimes Act. Their trial resumes in July.

From Monday, another case in a series of prosecutions using the same laws is being brought against Hall by a pineapple processing company. Hall has won wide acclaim as an advocate for Thailand's migrant workers,

A former foreign correspondent now based in Bangkok, Drummond is the target of several expat fraudsters who use Thailand's laws vexatiously to restrain his investigations and drain his financial resources.

On Phuket, the Navy has sued Morison and Khun Chutima over republication in Phuketwan of a paragraph taken word for word from a Reuters news agency special report on the Rohingya boatpeople. Soon after the pair were charged, the Reuters series won a Pulitzer prize.

Police and the Navy have not pursued Reuters or the other news outlets in Thailand and around the world that published the same paragraph.

This week the Phuket journalists also learned that in deciding they did not qualify for financial aid for bail, the Rights and Liberties Protection Department of Thailand's Justice Ministry issued a statement and added the following about the Reuters paragraph:

''The information . . . is false and untrue. The journalists must be correct and recheck their information before publishing the story to make sure there is no danger to others. The reputation of the Royal Thai Navy was damaged and made people look down on the Navy. On the evidence we have, we believe Morison and Khun Chutima did the wrong thing.''

With the trial of the journalists not set to hear evidence until mid-2015, the comment appears to have put the Rights and Liberties Protection Department in contempt of the Justice Ministry's own court. [ more at link]

Originally Posted by YOrlov

The EU is committed to promoting and protecting the freedom of opinion and expression worldwide.

Are they fuck.

What the hell is "hate speech" if it isn't ThoughtCrime?!

...and the right to be forgotten?!

They have referendum after referendum to get the answer they want; and refuse referenda when they think it'll give them the answer they don't want.
They won't let anyone examine their expenses and accounts; they won't allow regions/sub-countries to have self-determination; and they are conducting a fierce propaganda war against Russia in their attempt to annex Ukraine to the EU empire.

The EU is full of shit.

Originally Posted by CaptainNemo

The EU is full of shit.

You may well be correct, but press freedom, exercised responsibly, would help the interim government of Thailand achieve one of its stated major aims, which is to root out corruption.

Except that we both know that is bullshit as well.

Root out corruption?

Any talk of democracy in Thailand is pure nonsense until the criminal and civil defamation laws are changed, which they are not likely to be any time soon.

If the candidates cannot talk freely about each other and let the voters decide, an election is a meaningless exercise.

But as Captain Nemo said, for the EU, with their "hate speech" nonsense to talk about free speech is laughable too.

Imagine Thailand with its own version of the Daily Mail and the Sun?

Originally Posted by chassamui

Imagine Thailand with its own version of the Daily Mail and the Sun?

Imagine if they exist already...

Teak Door and Thai Visa

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Imagine if they exist already...

Imagine someone who could find his own arse with both hands and a flashlight.