ARTICLE 19

“We have been concerned by a lack of transparent consultation with civil society and key stakeholders in this process to date. We urge the Prime Minister to engage in meaningful and transparent consultation going forward, in particular through publishing proposed legislation relating to media freedom.”

Civil society groups have sent a letter to the government of Thailand expressing concern regarding the Draft Act on the Operations of Not-for Profit Organizations B.E… (‘Draft Act’) for containing provisions that could potentially curtail the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly and other human rights.

ARTICLE 19 said Vietnamese authorities regularly use the Penal Code to punish human rights defenders, independent journalists and writers, and others exercising their right to freedom of expression.

We live in an age of retreat from the duty to facilitate our right to protest. Even in liberal democracies, where civil liberties have been won through protest movements, there is a backlash.

This year’s Internet Governance Forum is taking place in Poland. Topics under discussion include: platform governance, connectivity, technology and democracy.

Journalist Ewa Siedlecka was convicted of criminal defamation in a case brought by two judges acting in a private capacity. Media Freedom Rapid Response partners fear that this verdict could pave the way for a wider criminalisation of expressing an opinion based on information present in the public space.

Six individuals who joined a protest in November 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand were charged with sedition and insulting the monarchy.

If the connection between the climate crisis, free expression, access to information, accountability and human rights wasn’t already clear, COP26 made it so.