Pheu Thai urges govt to let people speak about draft charter
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Pheu Thai Party Thursday issued a statement calling on the government to amend the public referendum law, allowing people to freely express their opinion on the draft charter regardless of whether they are for or against it.
The party said Article 61 of the Public Referendum Act 2016 should be amended so it is in line with democratic principles.
It said that though Article 8 gave people the liberty to express and share their opinion about the draft, Article 61, however, contradicted it. Article 61 states that anybody disseminating information through print, broadcast or via digital media that deviates from the truth or information that can be deemed violent, aggressive, vulgar, provocative or threatening and aims to influence votes will face up to 10 years in jail and a Bt200,000 fine.
“The Article violates freedom of expression, which is against human rights and Article 4 of the interim charter,” the party pointed out.
It also said that the government was relying on bureaucratic means to share information on the draft.
“Though the government has claimed that officials are being deployed only to explain the draft content, they is actually leading the public to accept the draft. Prime Minister Prayut [Chan-o-cha] and General Prawit [Wongsuwan] have also intimidated people who make comments about the draft. Holding a referendum under such circumstances is of no use,” the statement said.
