Thailand: academic journal stops publication, fearing reprisals
Event- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Jun 3, 2014
- Event Description
The trimonthly Same Sky journal, an academic journal which constantly criticizes the lese majeste law and the establishment, has sent a letter to its members, saying that they will indefinitely delay the publishing of the journal due to climate of fear. Same Sky editor Thanapol Eawsakul was one of the first people summoned by the military junta. He was arrested for protesting the junta and later detained without charges for seven days. He was also forced to sign an agreement to stop political activities. "The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has enforced censorship measure and control content on media extensively. Under this circumstance, the Same Sky publishing house has been inevitably affected. "Same Sky journal has been targeted. This has created the climate of fear to everyone in the production line. For safety of everyone, Same Sky editorial staff decided to delay the publishing of the new journal. When there is an opportunity again, we will publish and deliver the journal to our members and sell it again." The letter is signed by Thanapol on June 3.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Censorship
- Vilification
- Rights Concerned
- Academic freedom
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 13.727895599999997
Longitude: 100.5241235
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 3 June 2014, Thanapol Eawsakul, editor of the Same Sky academic journal, addressed a letter to the journal's members informing them that publication was being halted due to fear of reprisals on staff by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). The announcement came just days after Thanapol was released from detention by the NCPO. The Same Sky journal has been vocally critical of Article 112 of the Thai constitution (lese majeste), which severely restricts freedom of expression. The stop in publication marks the latest silencing of freedom of expression activists in Thailand, where the NCPO has summoned and intimidated dozens of people who have been critical of Article 112.