Articles by Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
Prime minister prohibits demonstrations at traditional rally site
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is moving to disrupt any repeat of the 4 February 2006 huge political rally against him, saying the grounds used for that mass assembly is now off limits for follow-up demonstrations. Thai media quoted Thaksin as saying on 6 February that subsequent rallies will be tolerated, but will have […]
Radio programme cancelled for discussing PM’s family business deal; court finds government blockage of TV signal improper
(SEAPA/IFEX) – On 1 February 2006, the business news commentary program “Business Focus,” of the Army’s FM 101 radio station, was taken off the air because it devoted time to discussing the Shinawatra family’s controversial multi-million dollar stock transaction with Singapore’s Temasek Holdings. On 3 February, Bangkok’s English daily “The Nation” quoted program host Sudathip […]
Local anti-corruption website ordered shut down
(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) strongly protests an order to shut down the anti-graft website, Corruption Watch (http://www.corruptionwatch.net). The site has been in operation for less than a month but has gained a large readership because of its reports on alleged corruption and non-transparent business transactions, including the recent multi-million dollar deal […]
Journalists concerned over proposed amendment to Bill of Rights clause on free speech
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Philippine journalists are expressing grave concern over government moves to amend the Bill of Rights under the Philippine Constitution, pointing out that one suggested revision would weaken guarantees of freedom of expression. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) says a government-appointed Constitutional Commission wants to amend Section 4 of the […]
Journalist and human rights defenders released, defamation law still looms
(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) has welcomed the temporary release of four prominent government critics from a Phnom Penh prison on 17 January 2006, but has also called for the dropping of the defamation charges against them and the eventual repeal of criminal defamation. “The step taken by Prime Minister Hun Sen […]
Human rights activist released on bail
(SEAPA/IFEX) – On 11 January 2006, Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) Director Yeng Virak, who was arrested and jailed on 31 December 2005 for displaying an anti-government banner, was released on bail but is still facing a criminal defamation charge in court, the CLEC reports. According to a CLEC statement released on 12 January, the […]
Two human rights activists briefly detained in connection with signature campaign
(SEAPA/IFEX) – On 7 January 2006, two human rights officials were briefly detained in Takeo Province for organising, without the permission of provincial authorities, a signature campaign to free jailed human rights defenders and journalists, the Cambodia Center for Human Rights (CCHR) reported on 8 January. In what seems to be an incessant “witch-hunt” of […]
Military officer dismissed for writing satirical articles
(SEAPA/IFEX) – An officer with the Burmese army’s aviation unit was fired by the Burmese military junta for writing satirical articles about the military’s recent relocation and the National Convention in a local weekly journal, “Yangon Times”. A Burmese on-line news publication, Mizzima.com (http://www.mizzima.com), reported on 3 January 2006 that the sacked officer, identified only […]