2016 Thailand: Andy Hall
Dear
Leader of National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)
General Prayuth Chan-ocha
Royal Thai Army Headquarters,
The Norwegian Writers in Prison Committee is calling for all charges against Andy Hall to be dropped as they are in direct violation of his right to freedom of expression in contravention of Articles 9 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Thailand is a state party. And we have serious concern over the use of criminal defamation and computer-crime laws to gag critical voices;
The Norwegian WIPC is therefore urging the authorities to amend the Criminal Code including by decriminalising defamation and insult to ensure that it meets Thailand’s international obligations to protect freedom of expression.
Yours sincerely,
Jørgen Lorentzen
Member of Writers in Prison Committee
PEN Norway
COPY: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
