Uwazi

On 24 June 2020, a WHRD received online death threat ahead of a webinar in Thailand.

On 24 June 2020, a WHRD received online death threats by social media users ahead of a webinar in Thailand.

Rayong police have charged a 23-year-old student with violation of the Emergency Decree and the Public Assembly Act after he organized a �Who Ordered the Abduction of Wanchalearm?� rally. The student says he is going to fight the case and rejects all the charges.

On 16 June, 23-year-old Panupong Jadnok, a student at Ramkhamhaeng University, was charged as responsible for the Young Leaders group of Rayong with violating the 2008 Emergency Decree for organizing a �Who Ordered the Abduction of Wanchalearm?� rally and displaying a sign saying �Who Ordered the Abduction of Wanchalearm Satsaksit?� at Si Mueang Park on 14 June in a call for justice for Wanchalearm.

Panupong said police initially charged him only with violation of the Emergency Decree, but he was later also charged with violation of the Public Assembly Act, when the investigation found that he did not obtain permission to organize the gathering.

Panupong rejects all the accusations and confirmed that he will fight the case in court. He has asked for 15 days to write a clarification letter.

Panupong and 12 other Young Leaders of Rayong organized the rally marching around Sri Mueang Park for 40 minutes, carrying signs and with white ribbons tied around their wrists. He said the rally went smoothly and participants wore protective masks.

Panupong said he met Deputy Public Health Minister Satit Pitutacha during the rally. Satit said he doesn�t agree with whoever violated the law when Panupong asked him his opinion on the enforced disappearance.

With regard to Wanchalearm�s disappearance, Panupong said that as Wanchalearm was an activist, and Panupong and his team also have developed through activism, he sees a shared ideology between him and Wanchalearm. He also sees the equality of humanity and human rights that should be protected.

The Emergency Decree was initially imposed to control Covid-19, but Panupong said when the people speak out, the government uses the Emergency Decree to prosecute them. Panupong sees that it is being misused and he is campaigning using the hashtag #LiftTheEmergencyDecree (#???????.?.?.???????)

Panupong said the next event will be organized on 24 June. There will be an exhibition on the 1932 Siamese Revolution. Leaders from seven provinces in the Eastern region will join the event under the name of Eastern Youth for Democracy. He is now consulting with his team on the location.

�Today I see as the beginning of a continuing fight and as the spark for many so that everyone sees that the Emergency Decree isn�t to control the disease but to deprive people of their rights and expression. I ask that my sacrifice is a wake-up call for everyone to protect their own rights. I ask everyone to be brave to do it for our country and I ask everyone to fight for our future. #LookingForCompanion #LiftTheEmergencyDecree.� Panupong posted on his personal Facebook page.

On 14 June, the ???????????? Free YOUTH Facebook page posted that Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, a recent political science graduate from Chulalongkorn University, reported receiving a summons from Wang Thong Lang Police Station for violating the Emergency Decree on the day he called for justice for Wanchalearm in front of the Cambodian Embassy.

Around 10 protestors calling for justice for Wanchalearm in front of the Cambodian Embassy have received summons for violating the Emergency Decree.

The Cross Cultural Foundation issued a statement stating, �the protests do not amount to an �assembly or gathering of persons�which may cause unrest,� rather, they are legitimate and peaceful in nature, and concurrent with the principles of Human Rights Defenders. Therefore, the charges and summons filed can only be seen as an abuse of the power granted by the Decree to intimidate and deprive the rights of those who do not agree with the government.�

On 16 June 2020, Panupong Jadnokm, student, was charged by the police under Emergency Decree for organising a rally seeking clarity onthe abduction of a Thai activist in Cambodia in Rayong, Thailand.

Police have pressed charges against three students for violation of the Cleanliness Act and failing to carry their national identification cards after they attempted to tie white ribbons at various locations around Bangkok to protest against the abduction in Cambodia of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit.

Parit Chiwarak, one of the four student activists, said the police initially charged them with violation of the Emergency Decree but later dropped the charge after the students said they would protest by drawing their blood if charged under the Decree.

The police cited Section 12 of the 1992 Act on the Maintenance of the Cleanliness and Orderliness of the Country, which states, �no one shall scrape, chip, scratch, write, spray paint or make appear by any means� messages in public places. Violators are subject to a fine of no more than 5,000 baht.

They also cited the 1983 National Identity Card Act as the students failed to present their ID cards when asked by officers.

Four students activists of the Student Union of Thailand (SUT) � Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul,Jutatip Sirikhan, Chanin Wongsri and Parit Chiwarak � were taken to Samranrat Police station on Tuesday (9 June) afternoon while they were trying to tie white ribbons at the Democracy Monument.

Around 30 uniformed and undercover officers were reported to be on scene.

Before the arrest, they went to various locations in Bangkok including the Phaya Thai area, the Ratchaprasong area, the Pratunam area, the Equestrian Statue, the First Army Area Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence. This is a part of the SUT�s �White Ribbon Against Dictatorship� campaign, in which they invite the public to display a white ribbon to call for justice for Wanchalearm.

When they were in front of the Ministry of Defence, around 10 military officers stopped them and said their campaign was not allowed as �it was symbolic.�

While Jutatip, Chanin and Parit were charged with violation of cleanliness and identification acts, Panusaya was only charged with violation of the Traffic Act as her parked car obstructed the traffic.

Police were reportedly trying to search Panatsaya�s cars without a warrant, taking photos of its licence plate without her lawyer�s presence and denying the presence of the students� lawyers when explaining their allegations.

Students and professors from many universities gathered in front of Samranrat Police Station showing support for them while the hashtag #?????????????? (#LetOurFriendsGo) trended on Twitter as members of the public called for their release.

After almost six hours in police custody, they were released at 20:00. The police plan to deliver the case to prosecutors on 22 June at 9:00 at Samranrat Police Station. They together sang Jit Phumisak�s song �Starlight of Faith� and shouted �Dictatorship shall fall� as the students emerged.

On 9 June 2020, four students were arrested by the police for demonstrating against the alleged abduction of an pro-democracy activist in Cambodia in Bangkok, Thailand.

On 28 May 2020, a comunity-based WHRD was visited by the police after publicly demanding the Emergency Decree to be revoked in Thailand.

On 28 May 2020, a comunity-based WHRD was visited by the police after publicly demanding the Emergency Decree to be revoked in Thailand.

Katima Leeja, a 35-year-old year old Lisu woman human rights defenders from Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province, was visited by a plainclothes military officer on Saturday evening around 4pm of 9 May 2020. The plainclothes officer, who was from the 4th Cavalry Regiment in Chiang Mai, said that he was told by his higher up to inquire information about Katima. The incident took place a week after eight Wildlife Sanctuary Inspector Officer got involved in land disputes with 3 villagers and allegedly hit a 55-year old Lisu man in the head during confrontation in Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary zone on 2 May 2020.

Later, Katima as a coordinator of the Lisu Network of Thailand, was seen in a video uploaded on Facebook on Tuesday, 5 May, where she was reading out a statement by the Network, criticizing such action by the authority and demanding it to be investigated by a committee. On Thursday, 7 May, she and about 30 villagers submitted a letter to Chiang Dao Chief District Officer at Chiang Dao District Office, demanding that the investigation committee be set up to look into the incident, and that the authorities conduct proper survey of the land to clarify the land use area to avoid further conflict.

During the house visit, the plainclothes military officer told Katima there was no specific reason for the inquiry, but said that he was asked by his supervisor to inquire information about Katima. He said that the supervisor earlier called her but she did not pick up the phone, therefore he had to pay her a visit.

He asked how Katima came to be involved in human rights work relating to land rights and indigenous people�s rights. The officer also asked Katima information about her birthday, marital status, phone number, members residing in the house, her parents and siblings� name, and their occupation. The visit lasted about 30 minutes.

Katima said that the visit was the first time she ever received obvious threatening act from the authorities. After the visit, she and her family members feel concerned about her safety as she is ethnic minority group. In recent years, there has been various cases of enforced disappearance or extrajudicial killing against vocal indigenous human rights defenders, such as the case of Billy Rakchongcharoen, a prominent Karen HRD who disappeared in 2014 and later whose body was found in 2019.

�I feel quite concerned and so are my family members to receive such visit. It feels strange that he asked me a lot of questions. Now it made me think twice if I have to go anywhere by myself. Of course, I don�t want to be the second Billy,� said Katima

The military officer, who refused to identify his name, explained to PI on the phone that the visit was supposed to be only �casual� and �friendly� and not meant to be threatening in anyway. He said he was not aware that the inquiry has anything to do with the Katima�s action protesting the forest authorities, and that he only followed his higher up�s order to get the information. Such visit is common for the soldiers who go and talk to the villagers on regular basis, which is meant to be for friendly exchanges, he said.

Katima, who received a recognition and award from the National Human Rights Commission as the outstanding women human rights defender in 2017, started her human rights defenders work as her father, a Lisu community leader, was shot to death in 2012 in the case relating to land disputes and discrimination against the indigenous people.

Protection International, Thailand would like to emphasize that States have a responsibility to pledge protection to WHRDs at risk and should be held accountable for fulfilling this responsibility.

We also would like to highlight the necessity to progress an included concept of security that goes beyond just the physical protection of the individual.

Such a notion of security would encourage the expansion of prevention measures and take into account the need to feel safe at home, at community and in public, as well as integrating the physical and psychological well-being of WHRDs, families and their groups.

Correspondingly, we echoed the need for protection methods and platforms to take into account the economic, historical, cultural, political, and social contexts in which WHRDs live and address their specific needs and realities.

On 9 May 2020, Katima Leeja, indigenous rights defender and WHRD, was visited by a military officer for speaking out against a case of violence perpetrated by local authorities in Chiang Dao District, Thailand.

An anti-mining villager was summoned by the police in Chaiyaphum Province on Tuesday (28 April 2020) after joining the Network of People Who Own Mineral Resource, a nationwide network which monitors impacts of mining projects on communities, and reading out a statement demanding the government and private sector to put on hold any mining activities during the period when restrictions are imposed to combat spread of Covid-19.

The group stated that even though the draconian Emergency Decree is being enforced to prevent citizens from public activities and gatherings, mining companies still continue their mining activities including mining surveys, operations and approval processes during this pandemic, which affect community members in terms of their rights and participation, as well as health concerns.

Sunthorn Duangnarong (who identifies herself as female), an LGBT+ and community human rights defender from the Rak Bamnet Narong Conservation Group based in Bamnet Narong District, Chaiyaphum Province, was visited by 7 police officers in 3 cars from Hua Thale Police Station in Bamnet Narong District at around 10 am on Tuesday, 28 April 2020, as she was doing agricultural work in the field.

Earlier that day she had joined about 20 other community members, whilst practicing physical and social distancing, in reading out a statement calling on the government and private mining companies to put on hold any mining-related activities for as long as the Covid-19 restrictions are in place. This activity was recorded on camera and subsequently uploaded on the Network�s campaign Facebook page on the morning of 28 April 2020.

She was arrested and taken to Hua Thale Police Station and was examined by the police without her lawyer being present, or there being any official summons.

We were informed that the Internal Security Command Operations (ISOC) and police in Bangkok found the video clip online and ordered the Hua Thale police to investigate the matter. The police officers informed Sunthorn that they were only examining her as a witness to gather evidence, and would not yet press any charges against her.

However, the police informed her that she may later be charged for violating: 1) the Public Assembly Act as the authorities were not notified beforehand, where the maximum penalty is a fine of 10,000 baht; 2) the Emergency Decree, where the maximum penalty is a fine of 40,000 baht and/or a jail sentence of 2 years; and/or 3) the Communicable Diseases Act, where the maximum penalty is a fine of 20,000 baht.

During the questioning, the police also allegedly made threats against her, asking her not to post such online messages again, otherwise the charges �may arrive faster to you,� according to a community member who witnessed the interview.

Protection International Thailand deplores such actions as they violate the people�s rights to exercise their freedoms, including the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.

The government must not exploit the pandemic situation to increase the sufferings of the people by intimidation and/or prosecutions of human rights defenders.

The government should not use the draconian Emergency Decree to quash dissent, control the population, or as a means to perpetuate their time in power, as was recommended by UNOHCHR to the government on 27 April 2020. UNOHCHR also emphasized that undermining freedom of expression �may do incalculable damage to the effort to contain COVID-19 and its pernicious socio-economic side-effects.�

Judicial harassment, violence and intimidation against women human rights defenders has increased. Protection International was alarmed by the spike in the number of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) who face judicial harassment following the 2014 coup. In 2017, PI reported to CEDAW that 179 community-based WHRDs had been taken to court. Since then, the number of WHRDs in this situation has risen to 440 (2020) despite the recommendation of the CEDAW Committee that the Thai government end judicial harassment of WHRDs.

Many of these are SLAPP lawsuits against community WHRDs, the majority whom are poor urban women facing eviction because of their actions in defending land and natural resources. Thailand, as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is duty bound to protect the freedom of expression of its people by ensuring that its laws are aligned with international human rights laws and standards.

Thailand must end judicial harassment of human rights defenders and we call on the State not to use emergency declarations during the COVID-19 crisis to impose wholesale restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly and association. The government and law enforcement agencies must act to prevent human rights abuses.

We reiterate the demands of the Network of People Who Own Mineral Resources that restrictions to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic be also enforced on all mining-related activities. People�s rights and freedoms must never be violated. The government must protect those who speak up about mining operations and their impacts on communities, and ensure non-suppression of HRDs who play a very important role in continuing to care for their livelihoods, communities, society, and the environment.

On 28 April 2020, Sunthorn Duangnarong, SOGI rights and community based defenders was summoned and arrested by the police after joining a demonstration against ongoing mining activities during the lockdown in Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand.

On 28 April 2020, an environmental rights defender was sued by an industrial waste management company for complaining about its environmental impact in Thailand.

On 28 April 2020, an environmental rights defender was sued by an industrial waste management company for complaining about its environmental impact in Thailand.

A village head was arrested after a renowned development monk and his layman companion were shot dead after being detained for violating the night curfew.

The fatal shooting occurred near the entrance to Khao Phela monastery on Khao Phela Road in tambon Samor Thong of Tha Chana district.

Wisut Intharakamnoen, chief of Tha Chana district, said it was reported to him about 2am on Tuesday, and he accompanied Thana Chan police chief Pol Col Thitiwat Suthitivanich and other police to the scene.

They found a converted flatbed pickup truck loaded with torches, fuel and coconut coir parked on the road. A man identified later as Churat Khongkhlai, 48, was lying dead on the back of vehicle with a gunshot wound to his neck.

About 10 metres away, was the body of a monk, identified later as Phra Chonlathan Thavaro Kanchanabut, 49, abbot of Khao Phela monastery. He had two gunshot wounds, one in the back of his head and the other in his right rib cage. A .32 handgun was found near his body.

Manop Kopin, 55, headman of Moo 9 village in tambon Samor Thong, was waiting for police, and surrendered to them.

Panyaporn Wattanapramote, assistant district chief, said he received a report from Thasaphon Thipsak, chief of tambon Samor Thong, that two people had been arrested about 12.30am for leaving their homes during the 10pm-4am curfew.

He led a team to the area and found Mr Manop and his team had already detained Mr Churat and Phra Chonlathan. They had seized the truck and equipment used for catching bees.

Mr Panyaporn said while he was reporting the curfew violation to the district chief over the phone, he heard gunshots. He went to check and found the village head had shot dead the monk and the layman.

During police interrogation, Mr Manop claimed he saw the monk pulling out a pistol and Mr Churat grabbing a knife. He was frightened, believing they would attack him, and fired three shots at them, killing the pair on the spot.

Police detained the village head for further interrogation. Forensic officers were collecting evidence from the scene.

Phra Chonlathan was a development monk in Tha Chana district. He played a key role in leading local residents to build weirs and plant trees. In 2016, he received the Hemmarat award for being a good role model in the field of forest and environment protection. Two years later, he received another award for being a good role model.

However, local sources said the monk had later been involved in a conflict with some people in the area.

On 7 April 2020, Phra Chonlathan Thavaro Kanchanabut was shot dead by village chief for violating curfew, falsely alleging he was owning a firearm in Tha Chana district, Surat Thani, Thailand.

On 3 April 2020, two WHRDs got intimidated by local administration officers for exposing public health facility maladministration related to COVID-19 in Thailand.

On 3 April 2020, two WHRDs got intimidated by local administration officers for exposing public halth facility maladministration related to COVID-19 in Thailand.

Thai authorities should dismiss a new complaint brought by Thammakaset Company Limited against human rights defender Thanaporn Saleephol�the seventh woman rights defender to face charges by the controversial Thai chicken company since October 2018. On March 30, Thammakaset filed a criminal defamation complaint against Thanaporn at the Bangkok South Criminal Court for five social media posts expressing support for other human rights defenders facing criminal complaints by the company. A mediation session is scheduled with the company on August 5. The court has also scheduled a preliminary hearing for August 17 should the mediation fail.While working with Fortify Rights as a Communications Associate, Thanaporn Saleephol posted the two tweets and three re-tweets between November 24, 2019 and January 30, 2020, which are the focus of the company�s complaint. The social media posts expressed support for Fortify Rights Senior Human Rights Specialist Puttanee Kangkun and former National Human Rights Commissioner for Thailand and 2019 Magsaysay Award recipient Angkhana Neelapaijit, who are facing similar charges by Thammakaset.Thanaporn faces up to 10 years in prison and one million Thai Baht (about US$32,250) in fines for alleged violations of sections 326 and 328 of the Thailand Criminal Code due to the social media posts.

The Community Resource Center (CRC) Foundation�a Thai nonprofit law firm committed to promoting human rights, community rights, and the environment�is providing Thanaporn with legal representation. CRC is also providing legal services to Puttanee Kangkun and Angkhana Neelapaijit, who are among the seven women human rights defenders facing charges by Thammakaset.

The International Federation for Human Rights, or FIDH, will also issue an urgent appeal today calling for the complaint against Thanaporn to be dropped.

Including the latest complaint against Thanaporn Saleephol, Thammakaset has now brought more than 35 complaints against human rights defenders since 2016, when the company first filed charges against 14 of its former employees�all migrants from Myanmar�after the employees reported labor rights violations to the Thai authorities.

Five cases brought by Thammakaset since October 2018 relate to a 107-second film produced by Fortify Rights in October 2017 that called on the Thai government to drop criminal defamation charges against 14 former employees of Thammakaset.

In January 2019, the Supreme Court of Thailand upheld an order for Thammakaset to pay 1.7 million Thai Baht (about US$56,600) in compensation to the 14 former employees for violations of Thailand�s Labor Protection Act.The 2017 Constitution of Thailand protects the right to freedom of expression as does Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Thailand is a state party. Following its first official visit to Thailand in April 2018, the United Nations Working Group on business and human rights called on the Thai government to �ensure that defamation cases are not used by businesses as a tool to undermine legitimate rights and freedoms of affected rights holders, civil society organizations and human rights defenders.� On May 17, 2018, six U.N. human rights experts also issued a joint statement, calling on the Thai government �to revise its civil and criminal laws as well as prosecution processes to prevent misuse of defamation legislation by companies.�

In December 2018, the National Legislative Assembly amended Section 161/1 of the Thailand Criminal Procedure Code, allowing a court to dismiss and forbid the refilling of a complaint by a private individual if the complaint is filed �in bad faith or with misrepresentation of facts in order to harass or take advantage of a defendant.� However, Thai courts have continued to proceed with cases brought by Thammakaset.

On October 29, 2019, the Thai Cabinet approved the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, which includes an Action Plan for Human Rights Defenders. The Action Plan includes a provision to amend the legal structures to protect human rights defenders from judicial harassment.

Recently, on March 12, 2020, a group of U.N. experts issued a joint statement, on Thammakaset�s continued judicial harassment of human rights defenders and called on the Thai Government to ensure the national action plan and the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code �are effective and that companies like Thammakaset stop vexatious legal proceedings against human rights defenders.�

Thailand should uphold its commitment to protect human rights defenders and the right to freedom of expression as well as business and human rights principles, said Fortify Rights.

Information on the charges filed against the other 2 WHRDs was shared confidentially.

On 30 March 2020, Thanaporn Saleephol and Puttanee Kangkun NGO workers, and Angkhana Neelapaijit, WHRD, were accused of criminal defamation by Thammakaset Co., Ltd for sharing social media posts in Bangkok, Thailand.

Thai authorities or Thai poultry company Thammakaset Company Limited should immediately drop criminal defamation complaints against Puttanee Kangkun and other human rights defenders, Fortify Rights said today. On December 6, Thammakaset filed a complaint against Puttanee with the Bangkok Southern Criminal Court for 14 social media engagements expressing support for human rights defenders.

Puttanee is a Senior Human Rights Specialist with Fortify Rights and the 21st human rights defender to face charges by the company.The complaint against Puttanee relates to three tweets, nine retweets, and two Facebook posts between January 25 and August 5, 2019. The content of the social media posts mentioned in the complaint involve expressions of support for human rights defenders Sutharee Wannasiri, Nan Win, and Ngamsuk Ruttanasatian, who are facing similar lawsuits from Thammakaset.

According to the 14 actions, Puttanee faces up to 28 years’ imprisonment and/or 2.8 million Thai Baht (US$ 93,300) in fines for alleged violations under Thailand Criminal Code sections 326 and 328. The Bangkok South Criminal Court scheduled a mediation session on February 2, 2020 and a preliminary hearing on March 3, 2020 if the mediation fails.

Five cases brought by Thammakaset since October 2018 relate to a 107-second film produced by Fortify Rights in October 2017 that called on the Thai government to drop criminal defamation charges against 14 former employees of Thammakaset. The company originally brought charges against 14 former employees of the company—all migrants from Myanmar—after the employees reported labor rights violations to the Thai authorities.

In January 2019, the Supreme Court of Thailand upheld an order for Thammakaset to pay 1.7 million Thai Baht (US$ 56,666) in compensation to the 14 former employees for violations of Thailand’s Labor Protection Act.Most of the cases brought by Thammakaset since October 2018 involve social media posts or re-posts of the Fortify Rights’ film, and most of these cases are against women human rights defenders. Puttanee Kangkun joined Fortify Rights in October 2015 and has worked together with Thai authorities and members of Thai civil society to support displaced communities in Thailand and the region, including refugees and survivors of human trafficking. She currently serves on various committees and as a board member of national and international civil society organizations working to promote and protect the rights of refugees.

The Community Resource Centre (CRC) Foundation is providing Puttanee Kangkun with legal representation.

On February 14, 2019, 89 organizations, including Fortify Rights, submitted a joint letter to Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha calling on the Thai government “to take immediate action to oppose and seek the dismissal of cases filed by Thammakaset” and to develop legislation “that fully protects employees, human rights defenders, and others from judicial harassment.”

The 2017 Constitution of Thailand protects the right to freedom of expression as does Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Thailand is a state party. Following its first official visit to Thailand in April 2018, the United Nations Working Group on business and human rights called on the Thai government to “ensure that defamation cases are not used by businesses as a tool to undermine legitimate rights and freedoms of affected rights holders, civil society organizations and human rights defenders.” On May 17, 2018, six U.N. human rights experts also issued a joint statement, calling on the Thai government “to revise its civil and criminal laws as well as prosecution processes to prevent misuse of defamation legislation by companies.”

In December 2018, the National Legislative Assembly amended Section 161/1 of the Thailand Criminal Procedure Code, allowing a court to dismiss and forbid the refiling of a complaint by a private individual if the complaint is filed “in bad faith or with misrepresentation of facts in order to harass or take advantage of a defendant.” However, Thai courts have continued to proceed with cases brought by Thammakaset.

On October 29, 2019, the Thai Cabinet under the Prime Minister’s Office also approved the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP), which includes an Action Plan for Human Rights Defenders. The Action Plan includes a provision to amend the legal structures to protect human rights defenders from judicial harassment.

On 6 December 2019, Puttanee Kangkun, WHRD and NGO worker, was sued for defamation by Thammakaset poultry company in response to her socal media activity in Bangkok, Thailand.

A former reporter for Voice TV in Thailand was sentenced to two years’ jail by a Lopburi court on Tuesday, December 24, for tweeting about the exploitation of workers at a local poultry farm in 2017. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the Thailand court ruling and demands charges to be dropped.

Suchanee (Cloitre) Rungmuenporn was sued by Thammakaset Co, a poultry supplier to Thai agribusiness giant Betagro. Following the verdict, she was granted bail and will appeal the verdict. Cloitre is one of more than 20 journalists, workers and activists targeted and sued by the company in legal proceedings.

Suchanee, who worked for Voice TV at the time, posted a retweet post former Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN) advisor Andy Hall in September 2017 that detailed an order by Thailand’s Supreme Court for the owners of Thammakaset to provide compensation of THB 1.7 million (USD 56,000) to 14 workers from Myanmar. Her post appeared together with a copy of the verdict by Thailand’s Appeals Court, with the word 'slavery' added to the post.

In 2016, Thammakaset sued some of its workers after they reported they had been forced to work up to 20 hours a day without a day off, for at least 40 days in a row. The workers also received below minimum wage and were not paid overtime compensation. In order to restrict the movement of the workers, the company also allegedly confiscated the workers’ identity documents. Thammakaset also sued a labor activist and two workers after they used time cards as evidence in the case against it. The company subsequently lost both cases. The Department of Labor Protection and Welfare of Thailand has already ordered Thammakaset to pay compensation amounting to THB 1.7million (USD 56,000).

Thammakaset’s lawyers filed the case against Suchanee, citing in its defence that the company had paid compensation and that the journalist’s use of the word 'slavery' caused harm and had defamed the company.

The Lopburi provincial court released Suchanee on a bail of TBH 75,000 (USD 2,500) after the sentence was handed down. Her lawyer said journalist, who is mother of an 8-month-old son, would appeal the verdict.

On 24 December 2019, Suchanee Rungmuenporn, journalist, was sentenced to 2-year jail term for online posting by the Provincial Court of Lopburi, Thailand.

On 09 December 2019, around seventy heavily armed rangers raided human rights defender Arfan Wattana’s house in the Narathiwat Province of Thailand at 12:30am. Arfan Wattana was present at his home along with his family when the incident took place. Four days later, the grounds for the raid have still not been communicated.Arfan Wattana is a prominent Patani leader and human rights defender predominantly working in the region of Patani, one of the most militarized regions in Asia which has been under martial law for the past 15 years. He currently works as assistant of foreign affairs at an NGO, The Patani organisation. In his capacity, Arfan Wattana advocates for Patani issues at the international level. He is a vocal critic of Thailand’s assimilation policies in Patani and the recipient of the Young Southeast Asia Leaders Initiative scholarship.On 9 December 2019, a little after midnight, Arfan Wattana’s house was raided while he and his family of nine were at home. About 70 rangers in fifteen cars surrounded his house and asked the human rights defender and his family to exit the house. The raid was led by the 48th ranger forces regiment along with the Department of Special Investigations. All of the family, including two young children and his ailing older parents were asked to leave the house while it was being raided. The human rights defender requested that the children be allowed to sleep, but no regard was given to the request. The officers then began to photograph Arfan Wattana and in return, the human rights defendertook photographs of the officials, at which point one of themsnatched his phone away and deleted all the photos on it. Arfan Wattana was further threatened that he would be taken to the military base if he tried to resist the raid. The raid took place over a two hour period and ended with the human rights defender having to sign a few documents. In addition to this, the officers also took copies of his and his family’s ID. Due to the Martial Law in place in the region, the military have been able to exercise their authority with no checks. According to Section 8 of the Martial Law Act, “the military authority shall have full power of search, compulsory requisition, prohibition, seizure, staying in, destruction or alteration of any place and turning out of persons”. Police and military officers can also “cordon off, search, arrest and detain persons without having to establish search warrants or arrest warrants issued by the Court”.This is not the first time that Arfan Wattana’s house has been raided. Since 2007, Arfan’s house has been searched 10 times by the police or military on account of his involvement in student activism calling for the respect of human rights and the Patani’s right to self determination.It has become increasingly common for Patani leaders to be arbitrarily detained, tortured or killed over the past years. To add to this climate of fear, the region is closely watched by a military force which is guarded by impunity laws so, despite the alarming human rights violations, no military officials have ever been prosecuted.

On 9 December 2019, Arfan Wattana, community-based HRD, had his family house raided at night time by 70 policemen as result of his work in Narathiwat Province, Thailand.

A protest to raise awareness about climate change was forced to cancel by the police Friday just minutes after it began in front of a park.

The rally, called Climate Strike Thailand, was scheduled to kick off at Lumpini Park at about 6pm today, but police officers from Lumpini Park arrived at the scene and told them to disperse. The officers refused to give any specific reason, though one eyewitness said police told them it was inappropriate to hold a protest in front of a statue of King Rama VI.

“Ironically, we were trying to get into the park, but somebody in the authorities told us we couldn’t go into the park, that’s why we ended up here,” the protester said.

About 100 people were participating in a “die-in” in front of the statue when police intervened. The memorial is a tribute to King Rama VI, who died in 1925.

The news came as a surprise to the activists because a similar demonstration was held in September without any interference from the authorities.

The climate change protest at Lumpini Park took place in the heart of Bangkok’s financial district; nearby landmarks include Silom Road and Chulalongkorn Hospital.

On 29 November 2019, a group of environment defenders was dispersed without explanation by the police in Bangkok, Thailand.

On Wednesday (27 November), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) issued a statement condemning Thammakaset Co., Ltd’s use of the criminal defamation provisions of the Thai Criminal Code to harass former National Human Rights Commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit.

“This action by Thammakaset is a textbook case of how defamation laws are used in Thailand to silence human rights defenders. It is clearly without any legitimate basis, and intended to harass and intimidate Khun Angkhana, who is a leading champion of human rights in Thailand and the region,” said Frederick Rawski, ICJ Asia Pacific Regional Director. “We hope that the Courts will dismiss this frivolous case at first opportunity.”

On 25 October 2019, Thammakaset Co. Ltd., a poultry farm in Lopburi Province, filed a criminal defamation suit under sections 326 and 328 of the Criminal Code against Angkhana Neelapaijit for two posts she shared that contained links to press statements of 16 organizations, including the ICJ, and Fortify Rights.

The statements cited in the warrant as the basis for the action were a post on 3 December 2018 in which Angkhana Neelapaijit re-tweeted an ICJ link to a joint statement co-signed by 16 organizations, including the ICJ. The statement contained a link (now defunct) to a short film in which former employees spoke out about alleged labor abuses; and a post on 28 June 2019 which included a link to a Fortify Rights’ news release containing the same link. The film refers to a previous defamation complaint brought by Thammakaset against 14 of its former workers, and called upon the authorities to drop criminal defamation charges against them and decriminalize defamation in Thailand. Thammakaset claimed that the film was defamatory.

Criminal defamation, under sections 326 of the Criminal Code, carries a maximum sentence of one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 Baht (approx. USD 640) or both. Section 328 criminalizes defamation “by means of publication” with up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 200,000 Baht (approx. USD 6,400).

Thailand is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to freedom of expression. The UN Human Rights Committee, the supervisory body that provides the authoritative interpretation of the ICCPR, has called on States that criminalize defamation to abolish criminal defamation laws and reserve defamation for civil liability.

“The criminal defamation provisions in the Criminal Code have been repeatedly invoked for nefarious ends, such to target persons seeking to bring public attention to human rights violations, including by business enterprises. They need to be removed from the Criminal Code as a matter of urgency,” said Rawski. “The imposition of criminal penalties for speech, even allegedly defamatory speech, is disproportionate and risks having a ‘chilling effect’ on the exercise of freedom of expression.” Background

Angkhana Neelapaijit is a Thai human rights defender and the wife of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, who was abducted more than 15 years ago. His abduction was the only case of enforced disappearance to ever be tried in a Thai court. In 2015, she was appointed commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, before resigning in July 2019, and is a recipient of the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Awards.

A court warrant was sent to Angkhana Neelapaijit on 23 November 2019. A conciliation conference, at which parties are brought together to settle a dispute before trial, is scheduled to be held on 12 February 2020 at Bangkok South Criminal Court.

The ICJ has repeatedly expressed concerns about the use of existing defamation laws to harass human rights defenders, activists, lawyers, academics, and journalists in Thailand, for carrying out their legitimate and important work to raise awareness and highlight human rights issues.

This case is one of many defamation and other cases brought by Thammakaset against any individuals perceived to have expressed dissent, conducted advocacy on or released information relating to labour rights violations committed by the Company. According to the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), as of May 2019, Thammakaset has filed complaints with the police, the Criminal Court, and the Civil Court against at least 22 individuals in at least 14 cases.

These included criminal defamation complaints against Sutharee Wannasiri, human rights defender and a former Thailand Human Rights Specialist with Fortify Rights, for three comments she was alleged to have made on Twitter related to the same film produced by Fortify Rights; Ngamsuk Rattanasatiean, who had shared information on the Facebook page of the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies; Suchanee Rungmuanporn, a reporter from Voice TV who had made a post on Twitter highlighting labour rights violations by Thammakaset; Suthasinee Kaewleklai, coordinator of the Migrant Workers Rights Network, who had shared information on Facebook relating to the cases; and other separate cases against 14 migrant workers and former employees.

On 25 November 2019, Angkhana Neelapaijit, WHRD and former member of the NHRC of Thailand, was sued for defamation by Thammakaset Co., agricultiral business actor, in response to a social media post she shared in 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Police on Tuesday said they arrested a pro-democracy campaigner who spread “hatred” toward the monarchy in an online post – an allegation disputed by his lawyer.

Karn Pongpraphapan, 25, was arrested at his home last night and taken to a police station where he was charged with violating the cybercrime law, according to a statement released today by the cyberpolice division. If found guilty, Karn faces five years in jail.

The police statement did not specify what Karn wrote, but described it as an “inappropriate content on Facebook spreading hatred” which “upset a number of people” after it was widely shared. Karn is charged under Section 14 of the Computer Crime Act, which bans disseminating online contents that “pose a threat to national security.”

But his attorney Winyat Chatmontree said the message in question was a public Facebook post Karn wrote on Oct. 2, which asked “How do you want it to end?”

Karn then went on to reference historical events involving past foreign monarchies, such as “shooting like the Russians,” “beheading by guillotine like the French,” and “exiled like the Germans.”

Winyat said he wanted to stress that Karn’s writing did not mention the Thai monarchy in any way. He also disputed speculation on social media that Karn was criticizing the recent traffic woes allegedly caused by royal motorcade in Bangkok.

“He was not talking about the Thai monarchy. He was not talking about the royal convoy,” the lawyer said. “He was talking about the history of other nations.”

Winyat said the post was nonetheless twisted by a number of people, and some even shared the message while attaching an image of Thai royal family to the post, which Karn did not do. The activist later deleted the post and deactivated his account when it became clear that his words were being distorted, the lawyer said.

“There is an element of witch-hunting involved,” Winyat said. “He was falsely accused of attempting to overthrow the monarchy.”

The arrest came several days after digital economy minister Puttipong Punnakan announced that the police were on the verge of “purging” anti-monarchy figures on social media.

It also followed a recent wave of online discontent toward road blockades in the capital attributed to royal motorcades, which led to severe traffic congestion.

The police statement on Karn’s arrest warned that anyone sharing his message will be liable for prosecution under the same charge.

Winyat said Karn is currently held at a police station’s cellroom, and he will be brought to court later today for a bail hearing.

“He is in good spirits,” Winyat said.

On 8 October 2019, Karn Pongpraphapan, pro-democracy activist, was arrested by the police in Bangkok, Thailand, and charged with allegedly making threats to Monarchy for an online post he shared.

Sirisak Chaited, an LGBT rights activist, said she has received a threatening email ahead of the ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (APF) on 10 – 12 September, while Siyeed Alam, chair of the Rohingya Association in Thailand, said he has been contacted by Special Branch officers.

On Saturday (7 September), Sirisak posted on her Facebook page that she had received an email from an anonymous sender requesting “co-operation in peaceful communication” and asking her to discuss human rights in the APF meeting “without affecting the image of the country and other ASEAN members.”

The email also said that “we understand the current situation. Speaking the truth directly is something that should happen, but in certain situations, we need to think of the collective interest both at the national and the ASEAN level too, especially when criticizing issues that may affect the image of our country or may cause conflicts between nations."

"We hearby request your cooperation. This is also because we are concerned for your safety and that of the people in this country and in other ASEAN member states."

Siyeed Alam, chair of the Rohingya Association in Thailand, also said that Special Branch officers had contacted him to get information on members of the Rohingya community who are attending the APF. Officials have called him asking to schedule a meeting and to photograph his “0 Card” or the identity card for persons without registration status.

Meanwhile, the Forum was moved from the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam to the Rangsit campus of Thammasat University after the organizing committee refused funding of around 10 million baht from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, citing as their reason interference from security officials in, for example, requesting for a list of overseas participants. However, the Director of the Foreign Affairs Division of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security said that the Ministry is unable to issue funding since the organizers did not provide them with a list of participants. The Ministry is also organizing a parallel ASEAN Peoples’ Forum at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam on 9 – 12 September.

On 7 September 2019, Sirisak Chaited, an LGBT rights activist, received online threats from an anonymous sender, and Siyeed Alam, chair of the Rohingya Association in Thailand, was harassed by a Thai Special Branch.

Only two days after North East-based NGOs and activists issued a courageous statement denouncing the military government, the military on Tuesday November 4th summoned and briefly detained the statement signatories. According to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), the individual signatories have been summoned via telephone to meet the military at military camps in various provinces in the region. In some cases, fully armed military officers raided their houses of some and took the persons to the military camps. On Tuesday, two persons were interrogated by the military at Prajak Silpakorn Camp in Udon Thani. During the interrogation, the military officials asked about their motives in issuing the statement. Upon their release, they were forced to sign a document indicating their obligation to immediately present themselves to the authorities once summoned. Other individuals in other provinces including Mahasarakham and Khon Kaen may present themselves and meet the military authorities as summoned later, the TLHR reported in its statement issued on Wednesday. In the statement, "No Reform under the Boot of the Military,' jointly issued on Sunday by 12 human rights, environmental, and community rights organizations based in the North East, such as the Human Rights and Peace Information Centre and Isan Human Rights Media, it denounced the legitimacy of the junta's cabinet led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, and his apparatus in governing and reforming the country because those apparatus are not connected with the people and human rights violations, especially the censorship are all over the place. The groups also condemned the military government for collaborating with investors, while it uses the martial law to silence people. The first group of the signatories comprised 12 NGOs and 17 individuals. On the TLHR's statement issued on Wednesday, the lawyers expressed concerns as follows: 1. The issuance of the public statement is simply an exercise of the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which provides that everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference and Thailand is obliged to observe it. That the military officials summoned the individuals to meet simply because their issuance of the statement shall inevitably inflict the climate of fear in public and is in itself an act to stifle the right to freedom of expression. 2. Even though Thailand is ruled under Martial which authorizes military officials to hold a person in custody not more than seven days, but the exercise of such power is only possible only to when there is a reasonable ground to suspect that any person is the enemy or violates the provisions of this Act or the order of the military authority. The law does not provide a blank cheque for the military officials to act arbitrarily as it has happened thus far. 3. The act of the military officials simply reiterates that the points raised in the statement by the 12 civil society organizations that under military coup rule, it is impossible for people to hold the state accountable for their policies, laws or any development projects, since even a criticism made in good faith is not allowed. TLHR also demands that the military should stop suppressing the exercise of the right to freedom of expression of the individuals and other groups and repeal Martial Law countrywide as well as observe the rule of law in their governing of the country. Reform shall not take place without an effort to listen to opinions from all parties and without the enforcement of law equally among all people.

On the 4th November 2014, members of North-East based NGOs were summoned and briefly detained by the military. The military action was in response to the issuing of a statement by the NGOs denouncing the military government. During the interrogation of two activists, the military officials asked about their motives in issuing the statement. Upon their release, they were forced to sign a document indicating their obligation to immediately present themselves to the authorities once summoned.

The United Nations Human Rights Office for South East Asia (OHCHR) and other human rights groups have expressed grave concern over the use of criminal defamation lawsuits as a means to pressure human rights defenders. The concern comes following the October 29 decision of the Phuket Provincial Court to proceed with a criminal defamation suit against Surapan Rujichaiwat from Loei province in north-eastern Thailand. The suit has been brought by Tungkum Co Ltd (TKL), a mining company, after Rujichaiwat and other anti-mining activists alleged that TKL was behind an incident of 15 May 2014 where unidentified armed men assaulted villagers, burned tents and huts in mining areas, and passed the blame on to the villagers. TKL has also brought a number of other civil and criminal cases against members of the Khon Rak Ban Koed Group (KRBK), including Porntip Hongchai, who is due to appear at the same court on November 3 on criminal defamation charges.

On the 15th August 2014, anti-mining activists Surapan Rujichaiwat and Porntip Hongchai were sued for defamation by mining company Tungkum Co Ltd (TKL) after they alleged that TKL was behind an incident of 15 May 2014 where unidentified armed men assaulted villagers, burned tents and huts in mining areas, and passed the blame on to the villagers. A Thai court chose to uphold the defamation lawsuit against Rujichaiwat on the 29th October. Hongchai is due to appear in court on the same charges on the 3rd November.

Three human rights lecturers used their academic posts to guarantee the bail requests of "The Wolf Bride' theatre activists charged with l��se majest_. Nevertheless, the court denied the bail requests. This is the fifth time that the two have submitted bail requests. On Tuesday, Phawinee Chumsri, a lawyer representing Patiwat S. and Pornthip M. (aka. Bank and Golf), two theatre activists charged with l��se majest_ for taking part in a political stage play called "The Wolf Bride', submitted bail requests on behalf of her clients with three academics from Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University, as guarantors. The three academics do not want to be named in the media due to privacy concerns. Phawinee added that three academics who volunteered to be the guarantors of the case know Patiwat and Pornthip personally because they had organized activities and worked with the defendants before. One of the academics, who asked not to be named, told Prachatai that they decided to be guarantors of the defendants because the two should receive the right to bail, which is the basic rights of all defendants, especially since both are young. She added that she was quite concerned after the group of academics were bullied on Facebook after the news was widely shared among royalists. Patiwat and Pornthip were indicted by the public prosecutor last Friday after being held in custody since early August. The deposition and preliminary hearing is scheduled for 29 December. Patiwat is accused of starring in a stage play "The Wolf Bride" centred around a fictional monarch in the role of a Brahmin advisor, while Pornthip was also accused of being involved with the play. The play was performed in October 2013 at Thammasat University, Bangkok, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 14 October popular uprising. The play was organized by former members of the now-defunct Prakai Fai Karn Lakorn. It is very rare that l��se majest_ suspects are released on bail due to the fact that cases concerning the revered Thai monarchy are viewed by the authorities as related to national security. "For many years Thai courts have regularly refused bail to people awaiting trial for "insulting the monarchy'," Brad Adams, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, said. "The systematic denial of bail for l��se majest_ suspects seems intended to punish them before they even go to trial."

On the 28th October 2014, a Thai court denied bail for the fifth time to Patiwat S. and Pornthip M., two theatre activists charged with l�se majest _ after staging a play called The Wolf Bride. The request was denied despite the support of three human rights academics.

A Thai court dismissed a defamation charge against a British activist Wednesday 29th October in a case linked to a report he co-authored alleging severe labour abuses in Thailand's food industry, a key supplier to Western supermarkets. Andy Hall, 34, had faced up to a year in jail if convicted of defamation - a criminal offence in Thailand - after Thai fruit processing giant Natural Fruit made the complaint against him. Hall's report investigating working conditions at a fruit processing factory belonging to Natural Fruit in southern Thailand levelled accusations of forced and child labour, unlawfully low wages and long hours. But a judge at the Bangkok court said the police probe, which stemmed from an interview with television network Al-Jazeera, was flawed as it did not involve a Thai state prosecutor from the start. "The investigation was not legal, which means the plaintiff has no legal right to file a complaint... the court dismisses the case," the judge - who was not named by the court - ruled. Natural Fruit, a major supplier to the European drink market, has denied the allegations in Hall's report. Hall stands by his research and has accused the company of trying to distract from the report's damning findings through legal action. Ahead of the ruling Hall told AFP he was "very confident" the case would be thrown out. The case related to an Hall's interview with Al-Jazeera over his 2013 report for Finnish rights watchdog Finnwatch called "Cheap Has a High Price". More serious charges await under the computer crime act - which carry up to seven years in jail for each count - and are due to be heard in November. The fruit processor is also seeking $10 million through a civil suit. Prominent European food firms have called for the charges to be dropped, while rights groups have criticised the defamation proceedings from a Thai food industry that has faced a slew of bad headlines over recent months. Accounts have circulated of abuse - particularly inside the fishing industry - of illegal immigrants held captive and forced into unpaid labour, sometimes on boats at sea for years on end without receiving any payment for their work. Thailand has long turned to migrants from poorer neighbours Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos to help keep major Thai industries afloat, from seafood to construction. But they often lack official work permits and are paid below the minimum wage. In June the US State Department downgraded Thailand to its lowest ranking in a report on human trafficking, highlighting abuses in the fisheries industry among others.

On October 29th 2014, British rights activist Andy Hall had a defamation case against him dropped by a Bangkok court. The plaintiff, Thai fruit processing corporation Natural Fruit, filed the defamation case against Hall after he published a report investigating working conditions at a fruit processing factory belonging to Natural Fruit. The report levelled accusations of forced and child labour, unlawfully low wages and long hours.

The military harassed Boonyuen Siritum, consumer rights and energy reform activist, and former senator at her house in a bid to suppress rallies on energy reform. Eight military officers on Wednesday morning raided the house of the former central Samut Songkram elected-senator and accused her of inciting people to stage rallies and being unusually rich. The officers searched the house in Samut Songkhram's Muang District without warrant, claiming that they can search any house under the martial law. Boonyuen was not home when the military arrived. On the same day, Kamolpan Cheewapansri, another energy reform activist led a rally to the Government House, to protest against an unconfirmed report that the government plans to grant renew a petroleum concession. Boonyuen said the military mistook her for being responsible for the rally and insisted that she was not involved with the rally.

On 22 October 2014, Ms. Boonyuen Siritum, consumer rights and energy reform activist, and former senator was harassed by the military officers. They searched her house in Samut Songkhram without warrant to stop planned rallies on energy reform.

The main contractor and partner of the company that runs the Chatree mining complex in Phichit province has threatened to take legal action against activists, accusing them of making false claims about the impact the gold mine has on villagers' health. The move comes after local activists recently submitted a petition bearing the names of 179 villagers to the National Council for Peace and Order, accusing the mine of harming the environment and the villagers' health. The junta ordered an investigation and a hearing into the dispute, including conducting blood and urine tests among villagers. The company accused some of the mine's former employees-turned-activists of orchestrating the anti-mine campaign with the ulterior motive of trying to force Akara Resources, the company that holds the mining concessions in the area, to buy their nearby land holdings at exorbitant prices. "Everybody knows they[the former employees] are motivated by self-interest, and by making these false claims they're jeopardising the livelihoods of several hundred villagers and their families." said Nucharee Sailasuta, the managing director of Lotus Hall Co, the main contractor and partner in the gold-mining operations in the area. Ms Nucharee rejected activists' claims the gold mine has caused environmental and health hazards. "While Lotus Hall welcomes any opportunity to work with the authorities, I will call on them[the authorities] to let common sense prevail and resolve this issue quickly. "We need to secure a prosperous long-term future for my employees, their families and the community," she added. Nantida Sangwal, a protest leader, said the locals are not concerned about the actions of the mining company, since they have been threatened several times in the past. She is facing a defamation suit by the mine operator but prosecutors have yet to indict her. Ms Nantida denied claims the company's former employees were behind the protest, saying the opposition to the mine and the impacts on the community from it have been swelling for a decade, while the company had laid off the employees in question only recently. She said it was not right that the mine operator threatens locals who are seeking help from the junta. "We are asking you[Lotus Hall Co] to improve yourselves, but you come out to intimidate us instead, widening divisions in society," she said. She insisted the mine has hurt the environment. "We even have to buy vegetables from other areas." she said. Source: Bangkok Post (http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/432816/mine-company-threatens-locals-with-legal-action)

On 18 September 2014, local activists were threatened by the gold mine company. Activists will face legal actions for making claims about the impacts of the gold mine on villagers' health.

The military and police on Thursday evening detained four academics and three student activists for organizing and participating in a seminar about the end of dictatorial regimes in foreign countries after forcing the seminar to be stopped. They were released about 9.30pm. The seminar was a part of the political seminar series "Democracy Classroom", organized by League of Liberal Thammasat for Democracy (LLTD), a progressive Thammasat student group. The seminar featured four academics, Nidhi Eoseewong, Prajak Kongkirati, Chaowarit Chaowsangrat, Janjira Sombutpoonsiri. It was held at Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus. After about 30 minutes into the seminar the police came in, detained all of them and brought them to Klong Luang police station. "Today we have to close the classroom now, not because that I don''t want to teach, but as long as we can not make the university the place where ideas can be exchanged, Thai society will have no future," Prajak Kongkirati told the participants before leaving the "classroom.' Before the event was held, the military asked the university to force the students to cancel the event. The university then locked the room earlier assigned for the seminar. The students, however, continued with their plan and held the event at the hall on the first floor of a university building instead. "Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha once told representatives of foreign businessmen that he is not a dictator," posted Piyabutra Saengkanokkul, Thammasat law lecturer and member of the courageous Nitirat law academic group, on his Facebook account on Thursday evening. "The NCPO has never admit it is a dictator. Today's seminar talks about dictators overseas. Why the army and authorities need to be so scared?" This is not the first time that the military tried to stop a seminar at Thammasat. On 8 August, the Thai military 'asked for cooperation' from Thammasat to stop an academic seminar on the interim charter, held by the same group of student activists; however, the university and the event organizers defied the military. A letter, signed by Col Noppadon Tawrit, Commander of the Kings Guard's 1st Field Artillery Regiment, to the university rector, states "the seminar may affect the attempts to solve national conflict", so the university should stop the event in order "to prevent the resurgence of differences in political attitude." Before the event started, there were negotiations between the event organizer, representatives of the university and the police. The resolution of the meeting was that the university would not stop the event and that the student group could hold the event at their own risk. Source: Prachatai (Prachatai

On 18 September 2014, four renowned academic and three student activists were arrested for holding a seminar on dictatorship at Thammasat University's Rangsit campus. They were taken in for questioning by police and released in the evening.

On 24 August 2014, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, a long-time human rights defender and director of the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), received a warrant summoning her to report to the Yala police station by 25 August 2014. She has postponed her reporting to the Yala police station until later in September. The warrant was in relation to an investigation carried out pursuant to a legal complaint of libel and defamation filed against her by Army Task Force 41. The complaint accuses Pornpen Khongkachonkiet and CrCF of causing damage to the reputation of the Army by disseminating an open letter about a case of torture carried out in southern Thailand. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned that Army has responded to the work of CrCF defending human rights by threatening legal proceedings, rather than taking necessary action to end and redress torture. The AHRC views the judicial harassment of Pornpen Khonkhachonkiet as another indication of the downward slide and deepening human rights crisis in Thailand. Since the declaration of martial law in southern Thailand in January 2004, the Cross Cultural Foundation has been at the forefront of documenting and calling for justice in cases of torture, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killing, and other human rights violations. The work of the organization, and especially the work carried out by Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, is in the service of education citizens about their rights, recording rights violations, and pushing for accountability and redress. As part of this work, they routinely document cases and aid victims in filing both formal complaints and disseminating this information to the public via the media. In this case, the complaint was filed by Army Task Force 41 after an open letter which detailed a case of torture of a young man in Yala circulated in public (Some of the details of the open letter were published online by Isra News Agency here). The Army has claimed that the young man was not tortured, and so therefore the open letter constitutes libel and defamation. The judicial harassment of Pornpen Khongkachonkiet is part of a broader pattern of harassment and legal proceedings carried out against those who expose torture, call for accountability and defend human rights in Thailand. The Government of Thailand acceded to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Degrading or Inhuman Treatment (CAT) on 2 October 2007. As a state party to the CAT, Thailand is obligated to take action to prevent torture, hold perpetrators to account, and provide redress and protection to victims of torture. The AHRC has noted that this is not always the case, such as in the criminal prosecution of Suderueman Maleh, a survivor of torture in southern Thailand, who was sentenced to two years in prison in 2011 after he brought a torture complaint against a police officer who was later cleared of responsibility (AHRC-STM-103-2011). Similarly, when Kritsuda Khunasen, who was arbitrarily detained for nearly a month following the 22 May 2014 coup by the National Council for Peace and Order, released two video interviews detailed her torture and abuse while in military custody, the junta's response was to threaten and discredit her (AHRC-STM-151-2014). The appropriate response in all of these cases would be for the military and government to initiate independent investigations into torture. The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the judicial harassment of Pornpen Khongkachonkiet and calls for the immediate cessation of the legal proceedings against her. Further, the Asian Human Rights Commission calls on the Thai government to pass the relevant domestic legislation and take action to redress and end torture, in line with its obligations as a state party to the CAT. UPDATE 25/08/2014: Ms. Khongkachonkiet has been able to delay reporting to the police until late September.

On 24 August 2014 Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, a long-time human rights defender and director of the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), received a warrant summoning her to report to the Yala police station by 25 August 2014 in relation to an investigation for libel and defamation against Army Task Force 41. The CrCf works to promote justice in cases of torture, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations in the south of Thailand. The libel case against Ms. Khongkachonkiet is in relation to an open letter issued by the CrCF detailing the torture of a young man by the military in Yala, which the military claims is unfactual and therefore libelous. This case is representative of a widespread and long-standing effort to suppress efforts to bring violations to light and hold perpetrators accountable in the south of Thailand. UPDATE 25/08/2014: Ms. Khongkachonkiet has been able to delay reporting to the police until late September.

A 1,400km march for energy reform ended almost before it began when military authorities, citing martial law, halted the trek and detained its 12 core organisers. The "Partnership on Energy Reform" group was taken to the Senanarong army camp in Hat Yai district of Songkhla province Wednesday after a second round of negotiations with the 42nd Military Circle failed. Worrapon Worrapan, chief-of-staff of the military circle, told the activists instead to convey their position to policymakers on the soon-to-be-established National Reform Council. "I understand what you're doing, but it's against[martial] law," Col Worrapon told the group. "I don't want to enforce it. Please stop right here and use the right channels.'' The marchers - comprising advocates from Songkhla, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Satun, Krabi and Chumphon provinces - are members of an energy-reform network of civic groups based in the South, Central Plains and Northeast. About 100 people began the march, and all but the 20 activists went home after the first day. Led by Ekkachai Issaratha, they had planned to walk 16 to 18 kilometres a day and had hoped to submit their five-point demand list to the National Council for Peace and Order after arriving in Bangkok in approximately 77 to 87 days. The group's main demand is the removal of new coal-fired power plants from the country's energy strategy, both for public health and environmental conservation reasons. Other demands include a shift from the current energy concession system to a production sharing system; establishment of a national company to ensure the public recieves "fair" prices for petroleum products; clearly divided zones for petroleum production, cultivation and tourism; and an accelerated effort to enact a renewable-energy law. Even before hitting the road, activists had to deal with the 42nd Military Circle, which tried to get them to cancel their march, saying it violated the martial law prohibition on political gatherings However, the activists insisted they would continue, arguing that their rally had nothing to do with politics and was not intended to incite public disorder. They did not get far. By Tuesday evening, Mr Ekkachai's group had reached Songkhla's Bang Klam district and set up a small stage to deliver an address on energy reform. He insisted then that he would continue to march until soldiers arrested him. He did not have to wait long. The military relaunched talks in Rattaphum district in the same province. When the marchers refused to stop voluntarily, they were forced to. Twelve key leaders were still detained at the army camp. The fate of the others is unclear. The detained campaigners include Dr Supat Hasuwannakit, director of Chana hospital in Songkhla. Group members wrote on their "Energy for All" Facebook page that the trek was ''temporarily suspended". While Hat Yai lies about 1,000 kilometres from Bangkok, the group did not plan to use the most-direct or shortest route to the capital. Instead, they planned to hike through areas where there were high levels of public awareness on energy reforms. As a result, the total distance of the march was estimated at 1,400 kilometres and would have taken more than two months to complete.

On 20 August 2014 12 environmental and right to health activists were arrested and detained at Senanarong army camp in Songkhla province. The 12 activists were the main organisers of a 1500km-long march from the Songkhla to Bangkok protesting the current government's energy policy. The protestors were intimidated by the military several times earlier in the week, and most abandoned the march in consequence. The remaining group of roughly 20 marchers was forcibly disbanded, with 12 taken into military custody for allegedly violating the prohibition on political gatherings under martial law. The protestors argue that their march is not political, and merely planned to raise awareness. UPDATE 23/08/2014: the military has allowed the march to continue as long as it is conducted by under 5 people, who may only march until 5 p.m. and who may not set up a stage to publicise their protest. 11 of the march's organisers remain in custody. UPDATE 24/08/2014: the march has been cancelled and the military has freed the 11 detained organisers.

Prom Jarana, a land rights activist and member of the Assembly of the Poor, who was detained by the military on Thursday mornng has been released, according to the Assembly of the Poor. The Assembly reported on its Facebook page at 10.30pm that the 65-year-old activist safely arrived his house around 8pm of Thursday. About five military officers at 10.30 am on Thursday detained him at his home in the Buriram Province, after a week of tension between the military and villagers over a land issue, according to the Assembly of the Poor. The military did not inform him why he was arrested or where he would be detained. According to the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), Prom on Tuesday joined a delegation of the Assembly of the Poor to Bangkok. The delegation gathered at Thai Army headquarters to demand that the ruling junta, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), put an end to the ongoing forced evictions of villagers by army soldiers from six villages of Non Din Daeng District in Buriram. Also on Wednesday, Prom visited Kao Baat, one of the villages affected by the forced evictions in Buriram.

On 17 July 2014 Prom Jarana, a land rights activist and an active member of the Assembly of the Poor, was detained at his house in Buriram at around 10:30 a.m. and released around 8 p.m. Prom has been an active advocate of the land rights of a community in Buriram Province which is currently in a dispute with military authorities. On 15 July, Prom participated in a march to army headquarters demanding a halt to the forced evictions of villagers by the military, and on 16 July he had visited one of the affected villages. It is unclear whether he will face any charges.

Military officers on Saturday detained Thanapol Eawsakul, editor of Fah Deaw Kan (Same Sky) magazine, for another seven days, stating that Thanapol had violated his release order by posting messages on Facebook deemed violating the junta's orders. Several plainclothes officers arrested him at a cafe in Phaholyothin Soi 7 after the military had earlier called him to meet for "a talk" at the cafe. He was put into a private car and taken to the King's Guard, 2nd Cavalry Division in the Sanam Pao area. Later he was taken to the Police Crime Suppression Division where he will be detained under martial law for seven days. Thanapol was earlier arrested on May 23 during an anti-coup protest in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Later he was detained for seven days after his name appeared on a summons list in Order No 5 of the National Council for Peace and Order. Those who hvve been summoned and released have had to sign agreements with the military stating that they will not participate in any political activity or travel abroad without permission of the NCPO. According to the rights NGO iLaw, academics from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Science, Assoc. Prof. Puangthong Pawakapan and Asst. Prof. Pitch Pongsawat, were also invited for talks on July 3 and 4 and released on the same day. The two academics led a group called the Assembly for the Defence of Democracy which held anti-coup campaigns and advocated elections prior to the May 22 coup. The NCPO also issued summons to 18 more people, not via a televised announcement as usual, but by sending orders to the homes of those summoned.

On 7 July 2014, Thanapol Eawsakul, the editor of the Same Sky academic journal who has previously faced lese majeste charges, was detained by the Thai military for a second time. Mr. Eawsakul was originally detained on 23 May 2014 and released on 3 June on condition that he not leave the country without permission of the military and that he not engage in any political activity. The military deemed that facebook posts by Mr. Eawsakul violated the terms of his release, and he was forced into an unmarked car by plainclothes police on 7 June for another seven-day detention.

The ultra-nationalist Thai newspaper Manager ASTV has published a "mock column" describing in graphic detail of how prisoners will gang-rape a fugitive anti-coup LGBT activist when she is finally arrested. Published under the newspaper's parody section, known as"Phujadkuan," the mock article describes how the the military junta's National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will arrest and send LGBT activist Aum Neko to a prison in Bangkok to "return happiness" to the male inmates who have been deprived of sex for years. The article also says that Jakrapob Penkair, a former politician and leader of an anti-coup organisation in exile, will be arrested and sent to prison alongside Ms. Aum, whose real name is Saran Chuichai. "[Mr. Jakrapob and Ms. Aum] will be bestowed to the inmates so they can provide intimate, wet happiness, with thrusts reaching up to their intestines," the article wrote. "We expect that the pair will tour the entire prison and offer their bodily happiness to every prison section, from the first section to the death row section." The article then quoted a fictitious inmate as saying he is longing to be the first prisoner to have sex with Ms. Aum. "Whenever I see nong[sister] Saran, or Aum Neko, I always feel aroused. Judging from her behaviour, I think she has a lot of weird and difficult sex positions. I will try to be the first in the line to have sex with her," the fictitious inmate said as he masturbated, according to the parody piece. Other parts in the article contain threats of gang-raping Mr. Jakrapob, who Manager ASTV has previously not-jokingly accused of being gay. Ms. Aum, who is enrolled at Thammasat University, is a well-known transgender activist who has campaigned for more freedom of expression on campus. She is known for undertaking controversial actions to promote her cause, such as striking a provocative pose in a photo with the statue of Thammasat founder, Pridi Banomyong. Ms. Aum has also spoken out against Thailand's harsh lese majeste (insult of monarchy) laws, as well as the 22 May military coup. The military junta summoned her to report shortly after the coup, but she has refused to turn herself in. Her whereabouts are currently unknown although she continues to criticise the junta on social media. "I strongly condemn this kind of news not because it is about me but because everyone who has a different opinion in this society should not be treated like this," Ms. Aum told Khaosod English. "They[Manager ASTV] live with hatred, not the duty to report the truth. Will we call this action an acceptable thing in the world of so called democracy and humanity?" The "Phujadkuan" section of Manager ASTV newspaper has a history of publishing "mock articles" which include false and libelous remarks about individuals who belong to the political faction that supported the former government. For example, the paper published a fake interview in March quoting a progressive actress as saying she changed her surname to "Shinawatra" in support of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of the political camp that supported the former government deposed in the 22 May coup. The piece also "quoted" the actress, Intira Charoenpura, as urging Mr. Thaksin to form a new country by leading a secession movement in the North. The piece became popular among pro-monarchy Thais, many of whom failed to realise that it was a satire. In 2009 Mr. Thaksin's lawyer pressed charges against Manager ASTV on behalf of his client, accusing the newspaper of defaming Mr. Thaksin by publishing a photo that was doctored to depict the former Prime Minister revealing his testicles.

On 1 July 2014, right-wing ASTV Manager newspaper published a "mock column" which threatened SOGI activist and Lese Majeste critic Saran Chuchai (also known as Aum Neko) with sexual violence. The column described in vivid detail a fictitious future scenario in which Ms. Chuchai, if captured and imprisoned, would be repeatedly raped to "return happiness" to prisoners. Ms. Chuchai was summoned by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) shortly after the coup, but has not reported.

Thai police on Wednesday charged Worachet Pakeerut, a law academic from Thammasat University and member of the courageous Nitirat group, for not reporting to the junta -- on time. He was released from Bangkok Remand Prison at about 6.30 pm on Wednesday. Worachet flew back from Hong Kong to Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok on Monday. The Immigration Police detained him and took him to the Army Club in Theves, Bangkok. He was later taken to the 11th Infantry Regiment for interrogation. On Wednesday at 10.20 am, the military took Worachet to the Crime Suppression Division for interrogation. The police decided to charge him with defying the coup makers' order. At around 1 pm, he was taken to the military court where the police submitted a custody petition. At around 5 pm, the military court granted his bail request. His family put up 20,000 baht in cash as security. The academic was summoned twice on May 24 and June 9. On June 10, Patcharin Pakeerut, Worachet's wife, submitted a letter to the military, saying that Worachet did not intend to flee, and would delay reporting due to his health problems. On June 7, another member of Nitirat, Sawatree Suksri, was detained at Don Muang airport and detained by the military for three days after she returned from a US State Department-sponsored trip to the United States and had not reported when summoned by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). Sawatree, however, was not charged. In March 2012, Worachet was assaulted by royalist twins. The twins said they were dissatisfied with Worachet's staunch opposition to the l��se majest_ law. Nitirat is a group of seven law scholars from Thammasat University. The group has proposed an amendment of the l��se majest_ law in line with human rights principles as well as a draft amnesty bill for political prisoners. UPDATE 10/07/2014: Worachet appeared before court again, where the police's request to extend his detention by another 12 days was granted (for the third time). He was, however, again granted bail.

On 16 June 2014, Worachet Pakeerut, prominent critic of Thailand's lese-majeste laws and member of the oft-persecuted Nitirat (enlightened jurists) group, turned himself in to the military authorities upon his return to Thailand from Hong Kong. Worachet had not reported to the military when summoned on 24 May and 9 June 2014. It is reported that he exited Thailand soon after being summoned and went to Hong Kong, for reasons that remain unclear: it has been contradictorily reported that he was meeting with political activists or that he was receiving medical treatment. On 18 June 2014, after 48 hours of arbitrary detention in Bang Khen, he was taken to the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) headquarters, where he was charged with defying the military junta's orders. He was then produced before a court where prosecutors attempted to have him detained for a further 12 days, but the court granted him 20,000 baht bail. UPDATE 10/07/2014: Worachet appeared before court again, where the police's request to extend his detention by another 12 days was granted (for the third time). He was, however, again granted bail.