Amnesty International Thailand conferred the Human Rights Media Awards while reiterating its stance that “journalism is not a crime” and demanding all sectors be engaged in efforts to protect press freedom and stop the use of justice process as a tool to prevent public participation, aka ‘SLAPP’ and to use against journalists who perform their duties to hold the state accountable faithfully according their ethics.
The prosecution of children for political expression directly contravenes international human rights principles, especially the rights of children that Thailand is obligated to uphold under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Using the criminal justice system to suppress children’s expression not only breaches the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly but also highlights systemic issues. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) audit report points to a persistent pattern of violations of children’s rights, reflecting practices that fail to prioritise the best interests of the children involved.
“It’s exactly what Amnesty has always campaigned for — that no one should be imprisoned or prosecuted for exercising political expression.”
Ahead of the witness examination and hearing of activist and conscientious objector to military service Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal on the week of 9-11 September, Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director Montse Ferrer said:
During April-June 2025, Thailand witnessed a vibrant atmosphere of protests on a variety of issues. At least 48 demonstrations took place, and if the first consecutive overnight demonstrations were included, the total number reached 226, a 172 per cent increase from the first quarter (143), reflecting the intensity of the movement during this period.
Content warning: This blog includes descriptions of violence against LGBTI people. We are publishing these details to bear witness to survivors’ experiences.
Responding to reports that a group of about 40 Uyghurs who have been detained in Thailand since 2014 were today deported to China, Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:
On 17 February 2025, Amnesty International Thailand organized an event to announce and confer the “2024 Human Rights Media Awards” at the Best Western Hotel, Chatuchak, Bangkok. The awards were presented to honor outstanding media works in the field of human rights in the categories of news and news feature in print and online media, news or news feature in broadcast, news or news feature presented in the form of online video clips, and photographs on the topic of “human rights.”
Arnon Nampha, a fearless human rights lawyer, is serving over 14 years in prison for defending freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Thailan and may face up to 150. Many activists, held without bail, face harsh charges under lèse-majesté laws for simply speaking out.