Joint Statement:
State-backed Online Information Operation Against Human Rights Defenders
Must Be Fully Investigated and Immediately Halted

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, urge the Thai government to investigate, and immediately halt, the alleged state-supported online attacks against human rights defenders, political activists, social critics, and opposition politicians.

The censure debate on 25 February 2020 led by MP Wiroj Lakkhana-Adisorn from the disbanded opposition party, Future Forward, has revealed several pieces of evidence accusing the military and the Thai government of running an online information operation (IO). This operation targets prominent human rights defenders, political activists, opposition politicians, and public figures. Evidence includes official documents issued by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) under the Office of the Prime Minister including official military memorandum issued by Second Army Area. There is also a video of an interview with a military officer who took part in the operation, conversations logs from a private line group that discussed using social media to disseminate fabricated information against government critics, and QR code shared within that private group.

These online attacks specifically target human rights defenders working on the Deep South-related issues. They label defenders as ‘unpatriotic traitors’. The websites, pulony.blogspot.com, constantly attacks women human rights defenders like Angkhana Neelapaijit, Pornpen Khongkajornkiat and Anchana Heemena. Political activist, social critic and pro democratic activists like Nuttaa Mahattana, Sarinee Achavanuntakul and Kunthida Rungruengkiat were also listed in a ‘watchlist’ on various social media accounts. It appears hundreds of fake social media accounts were created to aggressively respond to government critics and promote state propaganda.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) mentioned similar IOs in November 2019 when they disclosed a document submitted to the Court by Maj.Gen. Burin Thongprapai. The document had been used as an evidence when he filed charges against organizers and
participants of a peaceful protest conducted on 10 February 2018. This document stated
that IOs were used to disseminate misinformation about the protest organizers and to
convince the public that the peaceful protest was not initiated by student activists, but
instead, a red shirts group.

We call on the Thai government to fully and promptly investigate the state-backed online
Information Operations that produced misinformation and incited distrust among Thai
people. We urge the Thai government to maintain public trust by disclosing all documents
related to the operation. The information operations must stop immediately and the Thai
government must be held accountable for damages. Social media platforms like Facebook
and Twitter also bear the responsibility to shut down all state-supported, fake accounts.

Lastly, we demand the Thai government, especially the Internal Security Operations
Command (ISOC) to immediately halt any misinformation and incitement campaigns against
human rights defenders, political activists, opposition politicians and public figures. The Thai
government must respect the civil liberties granted to all Thai people, including human
rights defenders, by the 2017 Thailand Constitution and Article 19 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Joint-organizations:

1. Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)
2. Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF)
3. Community Resource Centre Foundation (CRC)
4. Human Rights Lawyers Association (HRLA)
5. Center for Protection and Revival of Local Community Rights (CPCR)
6. Duayjai Group, Pattani Province
7. Patani Human Rights Organization Network (HAP)
8. JASAD Group – Network of Affected Populations under of Special Laws, the Southern
most provinces Thailand
9. ENLAWTHAI Foundation (EnLAW)
10. Union Civil for Liberty (UCL)
11. Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLAW)
12. Southern Human Rights Lawyers Network (SHRLN)
13. Freedom Mobile Journalist (Freedom MoJo, FMJ)
14. People Network of Satun Provincial Development Plan Watch
15. Green South Foundation
16. Human Rights and Environment Association
17. Learning Center on Natural Way for Community
18. Songkhla Consumer Association
19. Khao-Khu-Haa Community’s Right Protection Association
20. Spirit of Thepa Stop Coal-Fired Power Plant Network
21. Permatamas – Persekutuan rakyat mempertahankan hak masyarakat dan sumber
daya alam untuk kedamaian
22. Centre for Ecological Awareness Building
23. NGO Coordinating Committee on Development of North (NGO-COD North)
24. NGO Coordinating Committee on Development of Lower North (NGO-COD Lower
North)
25. NGO Coordinating Committee on Development of Northeast (NGO-COD Northeast)
26. NGO Coordinating Committee on Development of South (NGO-COD South)
27. NGO Coordinating Committee on Development of Thailand (NGO-COD Thailand)
28. Land Watch Thai
29. The Eastern Economic Corridor Watch Group (EEC Watch Group)
30. Student Group for Human Rights of Khonkaen University (Daodin Group)
31. Campaign for Public Policy on Mineral Resources (PPM)
32. Ecology and Culture Study Group
33. People Network of Mineral Ownership

Individuals:

1. Tittasat Sudsan
2. Chalermsri Prasertsri
3. Supat Hasuwannakit
4. Wanchai Putthong
5. Suthichai Ngamchuensuwan
6. Teerawat Kwanjai
7. Saifon Sitthimongkol
8. Kua Rittiboon
9. Titarat Kaewsri
10. Chanang Arparak
11. Somboon Khamhaeng
12. Kunnika Paekaew
13. Wara Chanmanee
14. Supunsa Marem
15. Prasithchai Noonaul
16. Ekkachai Itsaratha
17. Bundit Kraivijit
18. Anthicha Saengchai
19. Kritsada Khunnarong
20. Surainee Sainui
21. Doungyiwha Uttarasin
22. Watchara Thipthong