Media organisations call for release of Prachathai reporter
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Two media organisations Monday called on concerned authorities to drop charges and release a detained reporter who on Sunday has been accused of violating ban on campaigning against the charter draft.
The Thai Journalists Association [TJA] and Thai Broadcast Journalists Association [TBJA] said in a joint statement that the the reporter was simply performing his duty and believed he has done nothing wrong.
Taweesak Kerdpoka, reporter for online news agency Prachathai, was on Sunday charged with violation of Article 61 under the Referendum Act which prohibits distributing “false”, “rude”, “inciting”, and “intimidating” messages regarding the August referendum on the draft.
He was arrested along with three activists of anti-junta New Democracy Movement after the police found Taweesak was in a pickup truck with the NDM activists and leaflets containing message against the draft.
In a joint statement signed by vice presidents of rights and freedom of TJA Pramed Lekpetch and TBJA Supan Rakchuea, it said at the moment there was no evidence indicating that Taweesak did anything wrong.
