Thailand will be reviewed by UN Member States on all its human rights record during its Third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) taking place on 10 November 2021 at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva (39th Session of the UPR Working Group).

 

To tell the truth behind #WhatsHappeningInThailand and to guarantee Recommending States make SMART recommendations that will hold the Thai government accountable on its international human rights obligations and will improve the situation on the ground, Manushya Foundation, local community members of the Thai CSOs Coalition for the UPR and the Thai BHR Network, and partner Civil Society Organizations have prepared UPR Advocacy Factsheets addressing the most challenging human rights issues and providing community-led UPR recommendations to be made to the Thai government.

 

The UPR Factsheet on Civic Space in Thailand was prepared by Manushya Foundation and SHero Youth Network based on their Joint UPR Submissions with the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration (UFTD), Student Union of Thailand (SUT), The Ratsadon, UNME of Anarchy, Nisit Chula Party, ROOT, and Access Now.

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The UPR Factsheet examines the compliance of Thailand with the recommendations it received during its 2nd UPR cycle in relation to Civic Space in Thailand. In the last five years since the 2nd UPR Cycle, the human rights situation in Thailand has alarmingly worsened. After the 2014 military Coup d’État, Prayut Chan-o-cha has transitioned from a junta leader to undemocratically-elected Prime Minister due to the 2017 military-drafted constitution. The government has since continued to abuse its power with countless accounts of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, use of extreme violence against peaceful youth-led protests, and restriction of press and media freedom.

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This factsheet indicates that the current political and legal developments violate Thailand’s international human rights obligations in the following manner:

 

• Restrictions on Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Association and Peaceful Assembly

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• Violence against Human Rights Defenders, Judicial Harassment, Arbitrary Arrests and Detention, and Enforced Disappearance

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• Draft NPO Law (2021) is an Imminent Threat Against Civil Society Organizations​​

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The UPR Factsheet includes community-led UPR recommendations for Recommending States to use when making their UPR recommendations to the Thai government and ensure their recommendations address the needs of local communities on the ground. It is critical for diplomats to make recommendations that are directly coming from communities to improve the human rights situation on the ground; as communities are experts of their issues: they live with the challenges and they also know the solutions they need to advance their human rights.

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Learn more about our work with UN Human Rights Mechanisms (Click here)