<p>The public prosecutor has chosen not to move forward in the case of a famous young twitter user who was arrested for posts about King Rama X. The defendant says he is quite stressed because the statute of limitations is 10 years, but his family is even more concerned.</p>

<p>Student activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal went to Huaikwang Police Station on 2 June to receive a police order forbidding him and other students from organizing a commemoration event on the 31st anniversary of the 4 June 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.</p>

<p>Students have joined hands with labour organizations in submitting a letter urging the government to lift the Emergency Decree after the cabinet decided to extend it to 30 June. The letter says, &ldquo;stop using the pandemic as an excuse to oppress the people.&rdquo; Thai Lawyers for Human Rights pointed out three legal reasons why the situation does not warrant extending the Emergency Decree.</p>

<p>The woman human right defender of the anti-mining <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/category/rak-ban-haeng-group">Rak Ban Haeng Group</a> in Lampang received a visit and intimidation by the police on Thursday, after publicly reading statement echoing the calls of the People&rsquo;s Movement of 5 Regions that demands the government to revoke Emergency Decree.</p>

<p>The Thai government&#39;s extension of the State of Emergency is unjustified and is an apparent pretext for violating basic rights and suppress anti-government voices, says Human Rights Watch.</p>

<p>Police in Songkhla Province have turned down a request to hold an anti-seawall public gathering at Muang Ngam beach, claiming it would violate the Emergency Decree on Covid-19 control. Many people still went to express their objections on the beach where the construction is taking place, while police took video recordings and photos.</p>

<p>The court has accepted a case under the Computer Crime Act against a 42-year-old artist from Phuket who posted that he underwent no Covid-19 screening process on arrival from Spain. The state prosecutor has called for a heavy sentence.</p>

<p>Ever since the 2014 coup d&#39;état by the NCPO, there have been relentless efforts to silence critics. Human rights defenders, activists, journalists, opposition politicians, and online users have faced &lsquo;lawfare&rsquo; where the government brought criminal charges against them to stop criticism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Thai authorities are prosecuting social media users who criticize the government and monarchy in a systematic campaign to crush dissent which is being exacerbated by new COVID-19 restrictions, Amnesty International said in a new report released today.</p>

<p>The ICJ today called on States in Southeast Asia to respect and protect human rights online and offline, in accordance with their obligations under international law, as they take steps to stop the spread of COVID-19. It urged States to ensure that avoiding adverse impacts on the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, opinion, information and privacy are front and center when implementing measures to counter misinformation about the virus.</p>

<p>In a <a href="https://www.tlhr2014.com/?p=16785&amp;lang=en">statement</a> released on Monday (30 March), Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) says that while they find that it is necessary for the state to &ldquo;impose measures&rdquo; to control the spread of COVID-19, it finds that the Emergency Decree, in effect from 26 March to 30 April, &ldquo;contains provisions which significantly restrict people&rsquo;s rights and freedom,&rdquo; especially freedom of expression, press freedom, and freedom of movement, raising concerns about the necessity and proportionality of the measures issued under the decree.</p>