BANGKOK: A mediation session between Phuketwan journalists and the Royal Thai Navy was postponed today because of a military coup in Thailand. No new date has been set.
Talks were to take place at the National Human Rights Commission.
The case was the main topic yesterday when committee members of the Law Reform Commission of Thailand met with journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian and a deputation of lawyers at the commission's headquarters.
Tanathorn Tananont, of the Human Rights Lawyers Association, told the gathering that Thailand's Computer Crimes Act could be used against people who resent tweets if the Royal Thai Navy was to succeed in its case against the Phuketwan journalists.
Morison and Khun Chutima are to appear in Phuket Provincial Court on Monday at the beginning of a trial over Phuketwan's republication of a single paragraph from a Reuters news agency special report on the Rohingya boatpeople.
Action is also believed to be proceeding against Reuters and two journalists, who last month shared a Pulitzer prize for its series of articles on the Rohingya.
However, no action has been taken against several other news outlets that published the same paragraph in the Thai language.
The Royal Thai Navy has been accused of trying to silence the media using harsh and repressive laws in targetting Phuketwan, which has been covering the Rohingya issue since 2008.
Khun Chutima faces a maximum of seven years in jail while Morison, as a co-author and company director, could face 14 years.
Law Reform Commission Vice President Sunee Chaiyarose said she had been following reports of the case.
While the commission did not have the power to ask for the Computer Crimes Act to be repealed, it could organise a public meeting of people who had been adversely affected by the law, she said.
A petition to raise at least 10,000 objections was also being planned, she said.
Committee member Sukum Naokam said: ''This is not the first complaint about misuse of the Computer Crimes Act and it is not likely to be the last.''
Information about the Phuketwan case and other cases is to be submitted to Cabinet just as soon as Thailand has a functioning government, the committee said.
Khun Sunee added: ''From what you have told me, I can't see any problems for you with this case.''
Many academics had pointed out that the Computer Crimes Act was intended for use against hackers and people who misused data bases of information, she said, not journalists, activists and business opponents.
The case is being covered widely overseas. Many reports have noted that the Royal Thai Navy's unprecedented application of the law in suing the media reflects poorly on the state of democracy in Thailand.
Another aspect - whether Reuters should take responsibility for defending its paragraph in both cases - has been raised in an article at poynter.org, the online site of the Poynter Institute, one of America's finest schools of journalism.
Reuters 'left the little guys to take the rap,' editor of Thai publication says
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/252918/reuters-left-the-little-guys-to-take-the-rap-editor-of-thai-publication-says//
Talks were to take place at the National Human Rights Commission.
The case was the main topic yesterday when committee members of the Law Reform Commission of Thailand met with journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian and a deputation of lawyers at the commission's headquarters.
Tanathorn Tananont, of the Human Rights Lawyers Association, told the gathering that Thailand's Computer Crimes Act could be used against people who resent tweets if the Royal Thai Navy was to succeed in its case against the Phuketwan journalists.
Morison and Khun Chutima are to appear in Phuket Provincial Court on Monday at the beginning of a trial over Phuketwan's republication of a single paragraph from a Reuters news agency special report on the Rohingya boatpeople.
Action is also believed to be proceeding against Reuters and two journalists, who last month shared a Pulitzer prize for its series of articles on the Rohingya.
However, no action has been taken against several other news outlets that published the same paragraph in the Thai language.
The Royal Thai Navy has been accused of trying to silence the media using harsh and repressive laws in targetting Phuketwan, which has been covering the Rohingya issue since 2008.
Khun Chutima faces a maximum of seven years in jail while Morison, as a co-author and company director, could face 14 years.
Law Reform Commission Vice President Sunee Chaiyarose said she had been following reports of the case.
While the commission did not have the power to ask for the Computer Crimes Act to be repealed, it could organise a public meeting of people who had been adversely affected by the law, she said.
A petition to raise at least 10,000 objections was also being planned, she said.
Committee member Sukum Naokam said: ''This is not the first complaint about misuse of the Computer Crimes Act and it is not likely to be the last.''
Information about the Phuketwan case and other cases is to be submitted to Cabinet just as soon as Thailand has a functioning government, the committee said.
Khun Sunee added: ''From what you have told me, I can't see any problems for you with this case.''
Many academics had pointed out that the Computer Crimes Act was intended for use against hackers and people who misused data bases of information, she said, not journalists, activists and business opponents.
The case is being covered widely overseas. Many reports have noted that the Royal Thai Navy's unprecedented application of the law in suing the media reflects poorly on the state of democracy in Thailand.
Another aspect - whether Reuters should take responsibility for defending its paragraph in both cases - has been raised in an article at poynter.org, the online site of the Poynter Institute, one of America's finest schools of journalism.
Reuters 'left the little guys to take the rap,' editor of Thai publication says
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/252918/reuters-left-the-little-guys-to-take-the-rap-editor-of-thai-publication-says//
So sorry to hear about the meeting cancellation. But the court proceedings are set to go ahead as planned on May 26, is that correct? Godspeed and strength to you both!
Posted by Lana on May 23, 2014 09:58