BANGKOK: The Bangkok South Criminal Court will decide on Monday August 24 whether to indict British migrant rights researcher and activist Andy Hall on computer crimes and criminal defamation charges.
The hearing will be held at Courtroom 501 at 9am local time and Andy Hall will attend the court with his lawyers.
The European Union Mission in Thailand has confirmed a delegation of EU, UK, Finnish, Dutch and Danish diplomats will be attending to observe the proceedings on Monday morning.
If the Court decides to indict, Andy Hall will be summoned to officially face the criminal charges and be detained awaiting trial. He will have an opportunity to seek release on bail.
This case against Andy Hall was brought by a Thai pineapple company, Natural Fruit Company Ltd., following the publication and dissemination of a Finnwatch report 'Cheap has a High Price'.
The report, to which Andy Hall contributed research, brought to light labor rights violations at the Natural Fruit pineapple processing plant. To date, no one has been held responsible for the violations at the Natural Fruit plant.
Altogether, Natural Fruit has filed four cases against Andy Hall. These comprise two criminal defamation charges, a criminal charge under the Computer Crimes Act and two civil defamation actions.
Prakanong court already on October 29 last year dismissed the charges on the other criminal defamation case.
The Thai Attorney General and Natural Fruit have appealed this decision, urging the court to reopen the case. A decision on the appeal is expected on September 25, 2015.
Andy Hall has a blog at www.andyjhall.wordpress.com where comprehensive information on these cases against him is documented by Finnwatch and Andy Hall.
Declaration of Interest
A verdict is due on September 1 in the criminal defamation and Computer Crimes Act action against Phuketwan journalists Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison. The pair are being sued by the Royal Thai Navy over a 41-word paragraph republished from a Reuters series on Burma's Rohingya boatpeople. The series won a Pulitzer Prize.
The Royal Thai Navy's precedent-setting military-versus-media action predates last May's Army takeover in Thailand. Maximum penalty for Morison and Khun Chutima is seven years' jail.
The journalists remain on bail of 100,000 baht each, provided by the Andaman Community Rights and Legal Aid Centre, based in Trang province. Other groups and organisations have also offered financial help.
Most of the legal costs of the case are being met by the London-based Media Legal Defence Initiative.
In Thailand, a group of more than 10 lawyers have teamed up to provide legal counsel. They include the Human Rights Lawyers' Association, iLaw and SR Law.
WATCH Journey into Hell, by Four Corners
From Burma through Thailand, an award-winning current affairs team traces official complicity in the brutal treatment of the Rohingya and Phuketwan's part in its exposure.
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2015/06/22/4257490.htm
WATCH How Trafficking Works
Phuketwan Investigative reporter Chutima Sidasathian says of traficking in 2014: ''It's worse and worse, day by day. Nobody cares''.
http://journeyman.tv/67116/short-films/rohingya-hd.html
LISTEN The Rohingya Solution
A tragedy almost beyond words has been unfolding in Thailand, where a human smuggling network is thriving with the full knowledge of some corrupt law enforcement officers. Alan Morison of Phuketwan talks to Australia's AM program.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2015/s4231108.htm
The hearing will be held at Courtroom 501 at 9am local time and Andy Hall will attend the court with his lawyers.
The European Union Mission in Thailand has confirmed a delegation of EU, UK, Finnish, Dutch and Danish diplomats will be attending to observe the proceedings on Monday morning.
If the Court decides to indict, Andy Hall will be summoned to officially face the criminal charges and be detained awaiting trial. He will have an opportunity to seek release on bail.
This case against Andy Hall was brought by a Thai pineapple company, Natural Fruit Company Ltd., following the publication and dissemination of a Finnwatch report 'Cheap has a High Price'.
The report, to which Andy Hall contributed research, brought to light labor rights violations at the Natural Fruit pineapple processing plant. To date, no one has been held responsible for the violations at the Natural Fruit plant.
Altogether, Natural Fruit has filed four cases against Andy Hall. These comprise two criminal defamation charges, a criminal charge under the Computer Crimes Act and two civil defamation actions.
Prakanong court already on October 29 last year dismissed the charges on the other criminal defamation case.
The Thai Attorney General and Natural Fruit have appealed this decision, urging the court to reopen the case. A decision on the appeal is expected on September 25, 2015.
Andy Hall has a blog at www.andyjhall.wordpress.com where comprehensive information on these cases against him is documented by Finnwatch and Andy Hall.
Declaration of Interest
A verdict is due on September 1 in the criminal defamation and Computer Crimes Act action against Phuketwan journalists Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison. The pair are being sued by the Royal Thai Navy over a 41-word paragraph republished from a Reuters series on Burma's Rohingya boatpeople. The series won a Pulitzer Prize.
The Royal Thai Navy's precedent-setting military-versus-media action predates last May's Army takeover in Thailand. Maximum penalty for Morison and Khun Chutima is seven years' jail.
The journalists remain on bail of 100,000 baht each, provided by the Andaman Community Rights and Legal Aid Centre, based in Trang province. Other groups and organisations have also offered financial help.
Most of the legal costs of the case are being met by the London-based Media Legal Defence Initiative.
In Thailand, a group of more than 10 lawyers have teamed up to provide legal counsel. They include the Human Rights Lawyers' Association, iLaw and SR Law.
WATCH Journey into Hell, by Four Corners
From Burma through Thailand, an award-winning current affairs team traces official complicity in the brutal treatment of the Rohingya and Phuketwan's part in its exposure.
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2015/06/22/4257490.htm
WATCH How Trafficking Works
Phuketwan Investigative reporter Chutima Sidasathian says of traficking in 2014: ''It's worse and worse, day by day. Nobody cares''.
http://journeyman.tv/67116/short-films/rohingya-hd.html
LISTEN The Rohingya Solution
A tragedy almost beyond words has been unfolding in Thailand, where a human smuggling network is thriving with the full knowledge of some corrupt law enforcement officers. Alan Morison of Phuketwan talks to Australia's AM program.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2015/s4231108.htm
Best wishes to Andy Hall!! @Atomicalandy
There will be many Australian eyes on the proceedings too.
Posted by Ian Yarwood on August 24, 2015 00:08