An Australian academic and journalist living in Thailand, Murray Hunter, is set to stand trial in Bangkok on criminal defamation charges linked to articles he wrote criticizing Malaysia’s internet regulator. The case, considered rare in Southeast Asia, could result in up to two years in prison or a fine of 200,000 baht (about AUD$9,500).
Hunter was arrested in September at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport while attempting to fly to Hong Kong. His passport has since been confiscated, and he is due to appear in court in December. The charges stem from four Substack articles published in April 2024, where he accused the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission of abusing its authority, censoring critical websites, and having leadership conflicts of interest. Malaysia has already won a civil defamation case against him, which he claims he was never informed about.
Hunter said the transnational case feels “surreal” and believes it is intended to silence him and warn other journalists. Human rights lawyers in Thailand have described the prosecution as a cross-border SLAPP case—legal actions aimed at intimidating critics and discouraging public participation.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand condemned the case, stating that Thailand’s criminal defamation laws are easily exploited to suppress criticism. The organisation called for the charges to be dismissed, warning that such cases pose a significant threat to press freedom.
Australian Academic in Thailand Faces Trial for Alleged Defamation of Malaysian Government
