<p>London 14.03.11: ARTICLE 19 has submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council highlighting the Thai government&rsquo;s restriction of the right to freedom of expression including emergency powers, the Computer Crime Act, defamation and l&egrave;se-majest&eacute; laws. The report also raises concerns over the lack of implementation of the Official Information Act, and the control of the media by the military and government.</p>

<p>On 11 March 2011, the Appeals Court reads the verdict on the case brought by the criminal case public prosecutor and Mrs. Angkhana Neelapaijit, the wife of Mr. Somchai Neelapaijit, former Chairperson of the Muslim Lawyer Club and his children. The case was brought against five police officers1 on an offense concerning the use of vehicle to commit a thief, for coercing another person to commit an act or to refrain from committing an act against his or her willingness and physical assault. The case is related to the disappearance of Lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit on 12 March 2004.</p>

<p>As the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar presents his report to the 16th session of United Nations Human Rights Council, governments should speak with one voice on Myanmar&rsquo;s long-standing failure to address widespread and systematic human rights violations in the country.</p>

<p>Reporters Without Borders has carried out a new survey of online freedom of expression for World Day Against Cyber-Censorship on 12 March.</p>

<p>Engineers are secretly surveying for dams planned by China hydropower giant Datang on the Salween and its tributaries in Karenni State under the armed guard of Burma&rsquo;s junta, according to local researchers.</p>

<p><em>[This is the text of the presentation made by Nick Nostitz at the launch of his&nbsp; Red vs. Yellow, Volume 2: Thailand&rsquo;s Political Awakening in Bangkok yesterday.]</em></p>

<p>Democracy is perhaps one of the most overused, abused and confusing terms in Thai politics. Coup-makers, corrupt politicians, ultra-royalists, die-hard supporters of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, vote buyers and sellers as well as the autocrats all claim that they're committed to democracy.</p>

<p>The Ampatuan Massacre trial has entered a crucial phase. This week, barely two weeks after the 15th month since 58 men and women including 32 journalists and media workers were brutally murdered in one of the worst attacks on democracy and press freedom in Philippine history, the Court of Appeals will be deciding on the petition for certiorari filed by suspended ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) governor Zaldy Ampatuan.</p>

<p>Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) co-leader Weng Tojirakarn was recently released on bail after nine months in jail on charges of terrorism after the red-shirt uprising last year ended in a deadly crackdown on May 19. Here, Weng speaks to The Nation's Pravit Rojanaphruk about his time in prison, politics and internal divisions within the red-shirt movement.</p>

<p>For 100 years now, a strong struggle for equal rights between genders has been taking place in the world. International women's day is the opportunity to celebrate women's economic, political and social achievements. It is the day to acknowledge the enormous potential of women in service of the prosperity of their communities and the core societal role they have to play for peace and political and economic development in their countries.</p>

<p>Human rights groups have sent an open letter to the President of Indonesia concerning an escalating intimidation and persecution of members of the Ahmadiyah sect across the country.&nbsp; </p>

<p>(Hong Kong, March 8, 2011) Two United Nations experts have sent &quot;a letter of allegation&quot; concerning the case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn, the webmaster on trial in Bangkok for charges of lese-majesty and computer crime, one has revealed in a new report.</p>