3 activists are acquitted of defaming a Thai poultry company accused of violating labor laws
Three Thai human rights activists have been acquitted of criminally defaming a poultry company with social media posts that supported other activists who had accused it of abusive labor practices
BANGKOK — Three human rights activists were acquitted Tuesday of criminally defaming a Thai poultry company with social media posts that supported other activists who had accused it of abusive labor practices, according to the defendants and their lawyer.
They were charged under a law that could have led to a 42-year prison sentence if convicted.
The company, Thammakaset, said the defendants’ social media comments linked indirectly to what it called a defamatory video produced by a human rights group, Fortify Rights, containing an interview with a worker who claimed abusive working conditions. In total, the case involved 30 counts of criminal defamation.
The company's representative, Chanchai Pheamphon, did not answer telephone calls seeking comment and did not reply to text messages.
Several Asian countries have criminal defamation laws. Critics say such defamation cases are often used by companies and politicians to silence and intimidate critics.
Since 2016, Thammakaset has initiated at least 37 lawsuits against 22 individuals, including migrant workers, human rights activists and journalists, with the majority being women, according to Fortify Rights. Nearly all were rejected by Thai courts.
Workers at Thammakaset had filed a complaint with Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission in 2016. The workers said they worked up to 20 hours a day for over 40 days without a day off, they lacked overtime compensation and their identity documents were confiscated.
In August 2016, Thailand’s Department of Labor Protection and
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