An Australian journalist and academic is set to face a criminal defamation trial in Thailand next month over writings that criticised a Malaysian government agency.
Murray Hunter, a long-term resident of Thailand, was charged following a series of online articles published earlier this year. In those pieces, he accused the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) of overreach, censorship of government critics, and alleged conflicts of interest involving its leadership.
The case took an unusual transnational turn when Hunter was detained at a Bangkok airport in September while attempting to travel to Hong Kong. After being granted bail, his passport was confiscated. The charges, filed in Thailand, carry a potential sentence of up to two years imprisonment or a substantial fine.
Hunter has described the legal action as an attempt to intimidate and silence critical voices. He warns it sets a concerning precedent for press freedom in the region, where journalists could face legal action in one country based on complaints from another.
Rights groups have labelled the prosecution a “transnational SLAPP” case—a strategic lawsuit against public participation designed to burden critics with legal costs and stifle dissent. A prominent journalists’ association in Thailand has condemned the use of the country’s defamation laws in this manner, stating it poses a serious threat to free expression and called for the charges to be withdrawn.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between government authorities and independent media in Southeast Asia, where legal mechanisms are sometimes employed to curb scrutiny of official bodies.