UPDATE (Thailand): Websites and radio stations shut down by military junta 

THAILAND: Military rule; martial law; threats to human rights defenders; restrictions on freedom of assembly & expression
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Dear friends,

The military junta that since September 19 has taken over government in Thailand has shut down at least two critical websites and also numerous local radio stations. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) calls for your support to urge that people in Thailand be entitled to speak and act freely in response to the illegal takeover of power by the army.

The two websites that have been shut down were a new one set up by human rights defenders in Thailand in response to the coup, www.19sep.org, which was closed shortly after it was activated, and the Midnight University website, www.midnightuniv.org.

Midnight University is a leading non-formal education centre. Its Thai-language website has been well-established, with over half a million visitors per month from all over the world, thousands of articles and discussion boards. The site was shut down on September 29 after its staff held a protest against the coup on September 28, during which they ripped up pieces of paper labelled “interim constitution”, in reference to the temporary charter that the military regime has had prepared. The protest was not covered in the mainstream media but reported on the independent Prachatai website (in Thai).

Both websites were reportedly shut by the Ministry of Information & Communication Technology, which has been authorised to censor any media outlets that are found to be acting contrary to the interests of the regime.

The Midnight University has announced that although it could easily reopen the site from abroad, as a matter of principle it will not do so and has instead demanded that the ministry lift the ban on the site.

DENIALS OF FREE SPEECH & ASSEMBLY:

Despite the appearances that the new junta has attempted to create, there have been many restrictions placed on speech and assembly in Thailand since September 19, some direct and many more subtle.

There are persistent reports of close monitoring and management of broadcast media, including patrolling of soldiers at television stations and inspections of radio facilities. Hundreds of local radio stations have either been closed or are operating under restrictions. In the north, where the former government had strong support, radio operators are being inspected and have been informed that only a few will be allowed to stay open. All broadcast outlets have been told to “cooperate” with the new regime.

The junta has also not yet revoked any of its orders banning political assembly and movements by local administrative leaders, or other restrictions on broadcasts involving spontaneous giving of opinion, such as by talkback radio and SMS text sending to television programmes.

The effect of all these prohibitions and restrictions has been to create a false impression of widespread support for the junta. This is inevitably causing frustration among persons who are opposed to the takeover but without avenues to speak out, on the pretext of “national unity”.

For instance, a taxi driver sprayed his car with anti-coup slogans and drove it in to a tank on September 30 in an act of protest. He survived the crash and in hospital has said that he did it because he wanted to show that the junta does not have the support that it pretends to have.

International media rights group Reporters Without Borders also today issued an open letter to the newly-appointed interim prime minister, deploring self-censorship and restrictions on media outlets in Thailand. It also reports that a BBC news article has been blocked to users in Thailand. The letter can be read at: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19055.

UPDATE ON PREVIOUS APPEAL:

On October 1 the four former government ministers detained after the coup were released without charge (see UP-189-2006).

According to news reports, the police had been instructed by the coup group to “monitor” the four. No information was given out publicly on what was meant by that.

Recent releases by the AHRC on other developments in Thailand are:
AS-232-2006 “The right man for what job?”
AS-229-2006 “Misunderstanding the coup”
AHRC-PL-088-2006 “Protests against coup in Korea & Thailand”

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please show your support for the Midnight University and other human rights defenders in Thailand by calling for a lift on the bans on websites and other restrictions placed upon people in Thailand by the military regime there. Please also call for the regime to unconditionally withdraw from power and allow for the writing of a new constitution under a democratically elected government (for more discussion, see AS-232-2006).

 

 

 

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