The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Thailand.
New Information:
According to the information received, on March 15, 2006, the Bangkok Criminal Court acquitted Ms. Supinya Klangnarong and the newspaper Thai Post, which were sued for criminal defamation (Article 328 of the Criminal Code) by the Shin Corporation, a media conglomerate that was belonging to the Prime Minister Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra’s family until recently. Ms. Supinya was facing a fine of 200,000 Baht (4,000 euros) and two years in prison.
The Observatory thanks all the persons, organisations and institutions who intervened in favour of Ms. Supinya Klangnarong’s acquittal. However, it recalls that Ms. Supinya and Thai Post remain prosecuted in the framework of a libel suit filed in the Civil Court, which shall resume soon now that the Criminal Court rendered its decision.
Background Information:
Since August 2003, Mrs. Supinya Klangnarong has been prosecuted by the media conglomerate Shin Corporation, after having alleged, in an article published by the Thai Post on July 16, 2003, that the profits of Shin Corporation had increased significantly since Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra became Prime Minister.
On August 24, 2004, Shin Corp had also filed a libel suit in the Civil Court against Ms. Supinya and the Thai Post, claiming for 400 million Baht (more than 8 million euros). On October 11, 2004, the Civil Court decided that the trial would start after the Criminal Court would have handed down its judgement (See Observatory Annual Report 2004).
Shortly before the verdict was announced, Shin Corporation tried to withdraw the libel suit against the defendants in order to reach a friendly settlement, but Ms. Supinya and the Thai Post refused. The same attempt had been made in January 2006, when Shin Corporation had been sold to a Singapore-based firm.
Actions required:
Please write to the Thai authorities and ask them to:
i. Put an end to all acts of harassment against Ms. Supinya Klangnarong and the Thai Post, as well as against all human rights defenders in Thailand,
ii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its article 6(b), which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others (...) to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms”, and its article 8(2), which provides that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to submit to governmental bodies and agencies and organisations concerned with public affairs criticism and proposals for improving their functioning and to draw attention to any aspect of their work that may hinder or impede the promotion, protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms”;
iii. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Thailand.
Addresses:
Ambassador Mr. Chaiyong Satjipanon, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations in Geneva, rue Gustave Moynier 5, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: + 41 22 715 10 10; Fax: + 41 22 715 10 00 / 10 02; Email: mission.thailand@ties.itu.int
Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, Email: prforeign@prd.go.th
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Geneva-Paris, March 17, 2006
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Email : Appeals@fidh.omct.org
Tel et fax FIDH : + 33 1 43 55 20 11 / 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel et fax OMCT : +41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29