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Prayut's Digital Dictatorship With Online Freedom Under Attack
Two controversial authoritarian Orders enacted under the Emergency Decree have been made public, confirming Prayut's digital dictatorship trying to control the media and our digital space to create fear and maintain his power and the monarchy.
First Order threatens media freedom as it aims to silence 4 independent media agencies (VoiceTV, The Standard, Prachatai and The Reporters) and youth-led group Free Youth from reporting on the pro-democracy protests and tell the world what's happening in Thailand. If they do so, their content can be removed or their broadcast can be suspended for affecting national security.
Second Order attacks our digital space and online freedom as it requests internet and mobile services providers to block Telegram, a messaging app highly used by youth protesters.
We condemn the Thai Government’s threats and attempts to control media, tech giants, including online messaging apps, internet and mobile service providers, as these violate Thailand’s international human rights obligations.
We stand in solidarity with free media and tech companies. We urge independent media, tech giants and digital service providers to resist digital dictatorship, and to protect our online freedom and democracy.
Emilie Pradichit, our Founder and Director, was quoted in an article from Reuters on the topic: "Since the ban on protests did not work, the military-backed government hopes to create fear of telling the truth. We urge free media to resist." - Access the article here
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