THAI AUTHORITIES’ COVID-19 RESPONSE MUST NOT LEAD TO UNWARRANTED RESTRICTIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The Thai government should ensure that the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation (2005) to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic does not impose unwarranted restrictions on human rights, Amnesty International said today. International standards require the Thai, authorities should review their use of emergency powers to address COVID-19 to ensure they are temporary, exceptional, proportionate, necessary and non-discriminatory and are not used to arbitrarily restrict rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of information.