Defamation complaint against rights activists dropped

Defamation complaint against rights activists dropped

From left, human rights activists Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Somchai Homlaor, and Anchana Heemminaand (photo by Abdulloh Benjakat)
From left, human rights activists Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Somchai Homlaor, and Anchana Heemminaand (photo by Abdulloh Benjakat)

The Internal Security Operations Command Region 4’s Forward Command has withdrawn a complaint against three human rights activists accused of defamation over a human rights violation report.

According to a press release issued by Col Pramote Prom-in, spokesman of Isoc Region 4’s Forward Command, the complaint against Somchai Homlaor, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet and Anchana Heemmina has been dropped.

The military lodged a complaint with police in Yala in May last year accusing the three of defamation and violating the computer crime law over a report issued by the Cross Cultural Foundation, the Hearty Support Group and the Pattani Human Rights Network.

The report in question documented 54 cases in which security officials allegedly tortured and mistreated suspected insurgents in 2014 and 2015. The research and report were partly funded by the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture.

According to the press release, while the defamation complaint has been withdrawn, the other charge of spreading false information under the computer crime law cannot be dropped and is being processed by prosecutors.


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