Prachatai gets honourable mention in human rights media awards

Amnesty International  (AI) Thailand on Thursday announced the 2014 human rights media awards for the Thai media. Prachatai English’s news story received an honourable mention in the online media category. 

The featured Prachatai story which was honoured was Crime of the State: Enforced Disappearance, Killings and Impunity by Thaweeporn Kummetha. The story explored enforced disappearance and torture in Thailand. 

Matichon Online and the Thai News Agency also received honourable mentions in the category for “Accounts of former detainees under the junta” and “Voice from the rape victim on the train 13 years ago” respectively. 

 
 
(From Left) Prachatai journalist Thaweeporn Kummetha and Prachatai Editor-in-Chief Pinpaka Ngamsom receive the award from Angkana Neelapaijit, a prominent human rights defender
 
 
 
No media won in the online media category. Those receiving honourable mentions received 10,000 baht. 
 
In the national newspaper category, the Bangkok Post and Daily News received honourable mentions for “Is Khon Kaen the new model of justice?” and “Untie the knot: the disappearance of Billy-Porlajee, the fighter of Kaeng Krachan forest” respectively. No media won in this category.
 
In the Digital TV category, Modern Nine TV and Spring News won with “The rape on the train and the justice system related to sex crimes” and “The disappearance of Billy -- the rights activist fighting for the farmland of the Karen in Kaeng Krachan” respectively. They both received 30,000 baht.
 
In this category, Voice TV and Modern Nine TV also received honourable mentions for “Pattani amid the storm” and “Displaced Thai nationals” respectively. 
 
Chamnan Chanroeng, Chair of the Board of AI Thailand, said AI Thailand decided to give these awards as moral encouragement for media in reporting human rights violations. 
 
In 2012 and 2013, Prachatai won first prize in the online media category for stories on transgenders in prison and unlawful killings by state authorities in the restive Deep South respectively. 
 
This is the third year of the award. 
 
 

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