Amnesty Reveals Human Rights Activists around the World are Being Seriously Threatened 

22 February 2017

Amnesty revealed the report of global human rights situations indicating that human rights activists around the world are being seriously threatened during the past 2016.

Amnesty International revealed the report of global human rights situation of years 2016/2017 which gathered activities related to human rights during 2016.

The report gives the overview of five regions and information of each of the total 159 countries. This report indicates that human rights claims continue intensively in every corner of the world.

The press conference for the report of human rights situation of years 2016/2017 was held simultaneously around the world on Wednesday, 22nd February 2017. As for Thailand, Mrs. Piyanuch Kotsan, Director of Amnesty International Thailand, attended the conference as a representative submitting the report and claims to the Thai authority and Mr. Nattapanu Noppakhun, Director of Division of Social Affairs, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the Thai government representative, received the report.

Mrs. Piyanuch Kotsan, Director of Amnesty International Thailand, revealed that this report indicated that human rights activists around the world are being seriously threatened as they are working to protect human rights in the South East Asia and Pacific. Some human rights activists in Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries are threatened. There are the new law enforcement and existing laws which criminalize peaceful expression.

“The government aims at attacking human rights activists and the civil society as a warning sign against freedom of expression. The people in Malaysia, Myanmar, Thai, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are threatened and prosecuted for exercising freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

For Thailand, suppression of different opinions has been reported to continue after the coup d’état in 2015 resulting in the majority of people having no courage to criticize the authority openly. Human rights activists were charged with criminal defamation due to disclosure of the report concerning violations or due to supporting operation of individuals and communities whose rights and fundamental freedoms were violated. In addition, the government prohibited any discussion prior to the referendum on the draft constitution. For example, 10 individuals expressed opinions on the draft constitution on Facebook and they were detained or charged and may be liable to 10-year imprisonment according to the dictatorship order of the new government. Amnesty, therefore, requested the Thai government to cease attacks on the operations of human rights activists, as it violates the freedom of expression, peaceful associations and gatherings immediately. “The Thai government must ratify the extension International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, promote the safe atmosphere and support human rights activists and other people in the civil society”, Piyanuch concluded.