BangkokPost-Nov 18
An Australian journalist will go on trial in a Thai court on Dec 22 after being indicted on a charge of defaming the Malaysian government, according to legal advocates and regional news outlets. The case against Murray Hunter, who lives in Hat Yai, was brought by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), over four critical reports by Mr Hunter on his Substack blog, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR). The lawyers’ group called it a “transnational SLAPP case”, referring to “strategic lawsuits against public participation”, or actions intended to intimidate and silence critics of powerful entities rather than to win a legal case. Thai police arrested Mr Hunter, at the behest of Malaysian authorities, on Sept 29 at Suvarnabhumi Airport as he was about to board a flight for Hong Kong. After a night in jail he was freed on bail of 20,000 baht, his passport was confiscated and he is not allowed to leave Bangkok pending the outcome of legal proceedings. “The MCMC conned the Thai police to use criminal defamation on me,” Asia Sentinel quoted him as saying shortly after his arrest. “Now journalists in Thailand are not safe if third countries seek Thai assistance to prosecute people they don’t like.” The complaint against Mr Hunter dates back to April 2024 when the MCMC accused him of “slanderous postings” for accusing the commission of acting beyond its jurisdiction for personal interests and of being politically influenced by the Pakatan Harapan government. The High Court in Malaysia subsequently issued a finding of civil defamation of the MCMC, without Mr Hunter’s knowledge, he said. The complaint has been upgraded in Thailand to criminal defamation, which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison with a fine of 200,000 baht. Rights activists have long criticized Thailand for being a key player in a “swap mart” system, in which it cooperates with neighboring countries to take action against both foreign dissidents on Thai soil and Thai critics living abroad. The Hunter case is believed to be the first instance of Thai law being used against journalists in such a fashion. “Malaysia is engaged in a blatant transnational repression by going after Murray Hunter with a criminal defamation charge, and sadly, the Thai police and prosecutors either don’t know or don’t care that they are being played for fools by the Malaysian MCMC and government,” Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights & Labor Advocates, wrote in a post on X. Read more at:
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3139803/journalist-indicted-in-thailand-for-allegedly-defaming-malaysian-government?tbref=hp.
