Police in Thailand are being urged to drop charges against 12 Facebook users arrested for sharing a post about a British tourist who claims that Thai authorities shrugged off her rape complaint.
The arrested Facebook users, all Thai men, were detained after a post detailing the allegation and subsequent investigation appeared on the social media site, Tourist Police Bureau deputy chief Major General Surachet Hakpan said at a news conference this week.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
They are accused of violations of Thailand’s Computer-Related Crime Act, and could face up to five years in prison and fines for spreading false information and damaging national security, ABC News reports.
Thai police said two more arrest warrants are out for suspects living aboard, including the British editor of a Thai new site, the news site adds.
Described by Human Rights Watch (HRW) as “draconian”, the Computer-Related Crime Act was adopted in 2016, with the authorities claiming that it would help halt the spread of false information that risks damaging national security.
The HRW site claims that the vague law “gives overly broad powers to the government to restrict free speech, enforce surveillance and censorship and retaliate against activists”.
Winyat Chatmontree, a lawyer for the 12 detainees, yesterday called for all the charges to be dropped.
“These men just simply clicked share on a Facebook post. They have no intention of spreading false rumours or damaging the country. I can only assume that the police made such a quick arrest to stop people from sharing news on this case, which they see as bad for the tourism industry,” he said.
-
‘The economics of WhatsApp have been mysterious for years’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Will Democrats impeach Kristi Noem?Today’s Big Question Centrists, lefty activists also debate abolishing ICE
-
Is a social media ban for teens the answer?Talking Point Australia is leading the charge in banning social media for people under 16 — but there is lingering doubt as to the efficacy of such laws
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
