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WAN-IFRA meets with Thai Prime Minister

WAN-IFRA brought a delegation of publishers and editors to meet with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to discuss press freedom issues during the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum.

by WAN-IFRA Staff executivenews@wan-ifra.org | June 5, 2013

The delegation called on the prime minister to lead a meaningful dialogue with members of Parliament, the judiciary and citizens to eliminate misuse of the country’s “lèse majesté” laws, which criminalises criticism of the King and royal family and has been used to jail journalists.

“Thailand has a thriving media scene, but we are concerned about the misuse of lèse majesté laws,” Thomas Brunegard, newly elected President of WAN-IFRA, told the Prime Minister.

Mr Brunegard and Erik Bjerager, President of the World Editors Forum, presented the Prime Minister with a letter expressing concern over the law, citing a recent prison sentenced of ten years handed down to Somyot Pruksakasemuk, former editor of the magazine The Voice of Taksin in January 2013.

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