webfact Posted April 24, 2018 Posted April 24, 2018 Arrest warrant issued for human rights activist By THE NATION Photo credit from Facebook Andy Hall BANGKOK SOUTH Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for rights activist Andy Hall on Tuesday, after he failed to show up for a court session. The arrest warrant is to ensure he attends court to hear an Appeals Court verdict on multiple appeals against a September 20, 2016, criminal conviction. Hall was sentenced then to four years’ imprisonment (reduced by one year and suspended for two years) and ordered to pay a fine of Bt200,000 (reduced to Bt150,000) after being convicted on criminal defamation and Computer Crimes Act charges. The conviction is related to a complaint filed by a Thai pineapple company, Natural Fruit Company, in 2013. The lawsuit is related to Hall’s interviews with workers for a Finnwatch report, published in 2013. The interviewees alleged labour abuse which, when published by Finnwatch, resulted in Natural Fruit’s legal action. Finnwatch is a non-governmental organisation focused on global corporate responsibility. Should Hall fail to appear at Bangkok South Criminal Court again on May 31, the Appeals Court verdict may be read in absentia. “We remain hopeful the Appeals Court will acquit Andy of all these charges. The charges against him stem from his legitimate work as a human rights defender and migrant worker rights activist. He is not a criminal,” said Sonja Vartiala, executive director of Finnwatch. Hall is no longer resident in Thailand. He said he was not formally summonsed to attend the Court session on Tuesday. Hall left Thailand shortly after his conviction claiming unbearable judicial harassment when additional criminal charges were filed against him by a chicken farm, Thammakaset Company Ltd, in November 2016. Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30343854 -- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-25 1
Popular Post Justfine Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 "migrant worker rights activist. " Hmmmm 3 1
Popular Post stephen tracy Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 A criminal conviction for highlighting the activities of criminals. 66 1 19 4
Popular Post ezzra Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 if you can arrest the wind, you will arrest Hall, otherwise, put his case in a very deep freezer, coz this man ain't coming back.... 12 2 2
Popular Post Justfine Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 1 minute ago, ezzra said: if you can arrest the wind, you will arrest Hall, otherwise, put his case in a very deep freezer, coz this man ain't coming back.... Yes ruined his own future. 2 4 8
Popular Post stephen tracy Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 Just now, Justfine said: Yes ruined his own future. How so? 15 1
Popular Post Thechook Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 Thailand is trying to convince the world it is working on human rights but all the world sees is Thailand arresting and incarceration those that speak out against violations. The abusers walk free and those trying to help are locked up. 64 1 21
Popular Post colinneil Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 Once again Thailand is made to look stupid, arrest warrant for a man who highlighted big companies greed/ abuse. When ohh when are those supposedly running the country realize they are making Thailand a laughing stock? 49 1 12
Popular Post Thailand Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 3 minutes ago, colinneil said: Once again Thailand is made to look stupid, arrest warrant for a man who highlighted big companies greed/ abuse. When ohh when are those supposedly running the country realize they are making Thailand a laughing stock? There are laws here in Thailand that appear to be designed to protect the guilty and put the innocent at risk. 29 9
Popular Post YetAnother Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 1 hour ago, webfact said: Hall was sentenced then to four years’ imprisonment (reduced by one year and suspended for two years) and ordered to pay a fine of Bt200,000 (reduced to Bt150,000) after being convicted on criminal defamation and Computer Crimes Act charges. exposing the truth exposes classic third world versus first world conflict 14 2
Popular Post Thechook Posted April 24, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 24, 2018 Good luck getting extradition on a person who exposed human rights violations. 23 3 4
Popular Post Wallander4 Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 US will be looking - welcome back to Tier 3 12 4
jacko45k Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, Justfine said: Yes ruined his own future. By doing his job but yes.
Popular Post darksidedog Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 Laughable. Obviously he isn't going to turn up and good luck to Thailand trying to extradite him. The courts would be better off without the defamation and computer crimes laws, that simply allow miscreants to imprison those who highlight their wrongdoing. 25 6
Popular Post alfalfa19 Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, stephen tracy said: How so? by telling the truth, I reckon. sometimes not a good idea in thailand. 4 3 4
Popular Post klauskunkel Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, webfact said: BANGKOK SOUTH Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for rights activist Andy Hall on Tuesday and then went on to their controversial national asset Summer retreat at Doi Suthep for a well-deserved R&R with badminton, barbecue and beer. 5 7
Popular Post kaorop Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 and most of our cointries continue to buy and sell products from this company, funny how profits obliterate morals in every nation. 10 1
AlQaholic Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 Couldn't EU impose some kind of thing, like they did with the fish industry?
Popular Post Emster23 Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 "And the truth shall set you free jail time & a big fine" 6 1
Popular Post hansnl Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, Thailand said: There are laws here in Thailand that appear to be designed to protect the guilty and put the innocent at risk. Not only in Thailand, I assure you. Just have a good look into laws on the books in your own country. You will be surprised. I certainly was in my country. 4 1
Popular Post NextStationBangkok Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 It is not all about Andy, if anyone defending the human rights here will end up same fate. The message is, if you go the court for migrant rights, you will end up defamation lawsuit by the Thai individual or a Thai company. Just shut the mouth, you aliens! 9
Popular Post rufanuf Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 What did the company do wrong? And who on Thai visa is qualified to know this as fact? OK so Thailand's legislation may be different to that of the west, and well lets face it "morals" are Christian based system of ethics, this is a Bhuddist country, tolerance is considered one of the highest virtues, and trying to make individuals or organisations lose face is considered to be the wrong side of tolerance. My concern more than anything else is Andy's apparent lack of comprehension of the situation he was creating for himself, by trying to "expose" what he and his western NGO deem unacceptable by their own standards. But who are they to try and impose those standards on others? Barring forced slave labour in chains, surely all free people living in a free world should be able to make their own decisions, where, who and how much they work for? 1 5 1 3
Muhendis Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, Thailand said: There are laws here in Thailand that appear to be designed to protect the guilty and put the innocent at risk. Well spotted............. 1
Popular Post lifeincnx Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 3 hours ago, Justfine said: Yes ruined his own future. How do you figure that? 1 2
Popular Post Tchooptip Posted April 25, 2018 Popular Post Posted April 25, 2018 2 hours ago, colinneil said: Once again Thailand is made to look stupid, arrest warrant for a man who highlighted big companies greed/ abuse. When ohh when are those supposedly running the country realize they are making Thailand a laughing stock? 2 they are making Thailand a laughing stock For those who love this country it does not make them want to laugh but on the contrary , its saddens them once more. These judges sadly highlight the country because in a case like this, no one is fooled either in Thailand or abroad! The saddest thing is that these judges are not ashamed of anything and they prove it by trampling on the most basic justice in the eyes of the world 5 2
OmarZaid Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 My take is that if Thais don't do it, ex-pats should just buzz off . . . we are guests . . . 1 2
phantomfiddler Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 The single saddest thing about this country is the complete lack of justice, followed closely by the fact that a farang here has no rights whatsoever, lower than the fleas on a Thai dog,s back. 2
IamNoone88 Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 Ah yes, migrant worker human rights .... isn't that something that has been around since and before the Paraoh's used labour to build the pyramids - 1200BC? It will never change........
chang1 Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 47 minutes ago, rufanuf said: What did the company do wrong? And who on Thai visa is qualified to know this as fact? OK so Thailand's legislation may be different to that of the west, and well lets face it "morals" are Christian based system of ethics, this is a Bhuddist country, tolerance is considered one of the highest virtues, and trying to make individuals or organisations lose face is considered to be the wrong side of tolerance. My concern more than anything else is Andy's apparent lack of comprehension of the situation he was creating for himself, by trying to "expose" what he and his western NGO deem unacceptable by their own standards. But who are they to try and impose those standards on others? Barring forced slave labour in chains, surely all free people living in a free world should be able to make their own decisions, where, who and how much they work for? I disagree with most of what you are saying but I will just ask 1 question - who buys their juice? Now look at it from that angle.
HHTel Posted April 25, 2018 Posted April 25, 2018 51 minutes ago, rufanuf said: this is a Bhuddist country, It's not actually. Some 94% of the people are Buddhists but has never been made official. Officially, the country has 'freedom of religion' unlike Malaysia where Muslim is the state religion. I'm feeling picky this morning!
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