14 September 2005
THAILAND: PETITION TO SUPPORT MEDIA REFORM ACTIVIST
13 September 2005
Join Noam Chomsky, Ariel Dorfman and others in supporting the case of Supinya Klangnarong, a campaigner on media reform in Thailand who faces a two-year jail sentence and US$10 million fine for daring to question Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's business and political relationships.
An online petition calling on Shin Corp. to drop its lawsuits against Supinya has been launched. So far, more than 1,200 individuals have signed on.
In July 2003, Supinya said in an interview published in the "Thai Post" that Shin Corp. profits had soared since Thaksin came to power in 2001. Shin Corp. was founded by the prime minister and is now owned by his family. Founded in 1983, the company owns Thailand's biggest mobile phone company and Internet provider, controls iTV television station and holds a monopoly on the country's satellite communications business.
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) says the outcome of the Supinya trial will set an important precedent for free expression in Thailand. "This case will either free people to speak out for a better Thailand, or it will teach them to never question people in power," says SEAPA Executive Director Roby Alampay. A court ruling is expected in December.
Sign the petition here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/636390824?ltl=1126641597
For more information, visit:
- SEAPA: http://www.seapabkk.org/
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/68712
- WACC: http://www.wacc.org.uk/supinya
RSS