1322 1125 1870 1022 1552 1628 1895 1221 1274 1004 1502 1480 1821 1718 1873 1507 1979 1124 1460 1121 1793 1621 1416 1554 1141 1111 1321 1900 1028 1987 1892 1095 1124 1718 1367 1596 1588 1846 1058 1696 1958 1843 1398 1420 1359 1327 1899 1120 1643 1608 1677 1168 1420 1269 1413 1679 1771 1650 1263 1595 1475 1874 1344 1397 1832 1997 1207 1774 1178 1106 1007 1964 1306 1947 1682 1192 1463 1531 1060 1794 1932 1402 1956 1767 1218 1727 1659 1003 1302 1535 1491 1142 1794 1762 1600 1748 1346 1671 1325 FREEDOM THAILAND 2012-2013 #1 : Obstacles and infringements to the right to freedom of expression | Freedom of Expression Documentation Center | ศูนย์ข้อมูลกฎหมายและคดีเสรีภาพ

FREEDOM THAILAND 2012-2013 #1 : Obstacles and infringements to the right to freedom of expression

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Various grounds related to social morality, defamation of the royalties, national security,and social unity are mainly invoked to curb and breach the right tofreedom of expression. In detail, interesting facts can be described as follows;

  • Citizen At least three new prosecutions on lèse majesté law and two new cases on defamation law have been documented as an attempt to curb the expression of opinions in public.
  • Press No print press has been banned invoking the 2007 Print Act during this time. But at least 15 cases have been laid against newspapers accusingvthem for committing libelous acts. Most legal actions have stemmed from damage of personal reputation. New libel cases have been launched against reporters, columnists and editors in 2012 working for Siam Dara, Matichon, Siam Sports Daily, Pim Thai, Thai Rath, Post Today, and Daily News. And the litigants against Thailand’s press in 2012 include celebrities, business persons, football clubs, private companies, state enterprises, civil servants, military officers and Constitutional Court Judges.
  • Film Two films have been banned and censored including “Shakespeare Must Die” banned by the Film and Video Act B.E. 2551 (2008) on ground that the film might have caused social schisms. The second film, “Boundary”, was initially banned, but after the deletion of certain scenes, it was given permission to be screened.
  • Television At least three programs were banned by the management of the stations. One program was fined by National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) , another suspended and being investigated. Grounds of the interventions including that the programs’ contents were in breach of good morality of society, deemed a contempt to religion, and defamatory to the King.
  • Internet Blocking of access to more than 20,000 URLs have been initiated invoking the Computer related Crime Act B.E. 2550 (2008). 80% of them were deemed defamatory to the King and the rest 20% deemed pornographic. 1 URL was deemed blasphemy.

Banning and censorship is just one benchmark to gauge the infringement on the right to freedom of expression. Various other forms of violations have been employed, particularly self-censorship which is an emerging crisis of media.

(Situation Report from January 2012 to April 2013)
 

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FREEDOM THAILAND 2012-2013 Infographic:
#1 Obstacles and infringements to the right to freedom of expression
#2 Interesting verdicts
#3 Interesting updates
#4 Status of defendants in cases related to freedom of expression
#5 Laws, Directives, Policy Movement and Social Reaction Calendar
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Report: Freedom of Expression Documentation Center
Translation: Pipob Udomittipong,  Prach Panchakunathorn
Graphic Design: Wrong Design

Support by: Heinrich Böll Stiftung Southeast Asia