Thailand: Stop the judicial harassment against Anchana Heemmina, defend freedom of expression
GENEVA, Switzerland (22 July 2025) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and Front Line Defenders strongly condemn the Thai Government’s intensified judicial harassment against women human rights defender Anchana Heemmina.
On 17 June 2025, additional charges were filed against Heemmina under Section 14(1) of the 2007 Computer Act for allegedly importing false or distorted data into a computer system. The charges stem from a Facebook post Heemmina made in May 2024, in which she raised concerns about a military camp’s alleged failure to pay its water bill.
FORUM-ASIA and Front Line Defenders jointly urge Thai authorities to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Heemmina.
Under the Computer Crime Act of 2007, Thai authorities can block or remove websites and online content. Amended in 2017, the Act grants authorities expanded powers to limit free speech, enforce surveillance, censor, and retaliate against activists.
The Act has been frequently used to intimidate and silence critics. It is also being weaponized to pursue libel charges aimed at suppressing public participation, commonly referred to as “strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP).
What happened
Heemina advocates for peacebuilding and gender justice in Thailand’s Deep South.
On 8 May 2024, Heemmina made a Facebook post about a mosque demanding 20,000 baht (USD 616) from a military camp that had sourced water from its property. Heemmina initially misidentified the location but later corrected it to Sai Buri District in Pattani Province. In her post, she was asking whom she should complain to.
The military unit allegedly involved in the dispute subsequently issued a public statement explaining the reason for the delayed payment, and Heemmina thanked them for the clarification.
The Thai Navy in Ba Cho District then filed a defamation complaint against Heemmina, arguing that her post had caused reputational harm to military units stationed in the area.
On 14 October 2024, Heemmina met with investigators to formally acknowledge the defamation charge under Section 328 of the Thai Criminal Code.
On 21 January 2025, the police forwarded her case to the Narathiwat Provincial Prosecutor. Since then, Heemmina has been required to report to the prosecutor on a monthly basis. On 17 June, Heemmina was notified of an additional charge under the 2007 Computer Crime Act for misinformation. The Narathiwat Provincial Prosecutor had also officially indicted her for violating the said law.
On 3 July, Heemmina submitted a letter of appeal to the Office of the Attorney General in Bangkok, asserting that her Facebook post was made in good faith and merely intended to raise awareness regarding local community concerns. She emphasized that her actions served public interest and were a legitimate and necessary exercise of her right to freedom of expression.
On 15 July, the Narathiwat provincial prosecutor proceeded with filing charges against Heemmina under the Computer Crimes Act of 2007.
Judicial harassment
Judicial harassment happens when state authorities repeatedly use civil, criminal, or administrative legal actions to intimidate or silence individuals, including journalists and human rights defenders. Such tactic entangles targets in prolonged legal proceedings, disrupting both their personal and professional lives.
For expressing political opinions, Heemmina has been facing a series of judicial harassment.
In 2016, the Internal Security Operations Command—a Thai military agency tasked with national security—filed defamation charges against Heemmina and fellow human rights defenders from Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), Pornpen Khongkachonkie and Somchai Homlaor. Following sustained pressure from civil society and international supporters, the military dropped the charges in 2017.
The three defenders were prosecuted for creating and publishing a human rights report titled “Torture and Ill-treatment in the Deep South Documented in 2014–2015,” which was co-edited and released by CrCF, DuayJai Group, and the Patani Human Rights Organization Network in 2016. They believe that the charges were made in retaliation for their efforts to document and expose human rights violations by security forces in Thailand’s Deep South.
In 2019, Heemmina became the target of a coordinated online smear campaign using fake social media accounts. Despite initial inaction, Facebook and Twitter removed the accounts in March 2020. Facebook later confirmed that the accounts were linked to the Thai military.
Call to action
FORUM-ASIA and Front Line Defenders call on Thai authorities to stop weaponizing laws to suppress freedom of expression. Likewise, we urge the government to cease all forms of judicial harassment against human rights defenders like Heemmina.
As a current member of the Human Rights Council, Thailand must show its utmost commitment to promote and protect human rights, including that of human rights defenders like Heemmina.
Heemmina’s situation adds to the long list of strategic lawsuits against public participation involving women human rights defenders.
Criminalizing free speech and human rights advocacy undermines democratic principles and threatens the protection of fundamental freedoms in Thailand.
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The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) is a network of 90 member organisations across 23 countries, mainly in Asia. Founded in 1991, FORUM-ASIA works to strengthen movements for human rights and sustainable development through research, advocacy, capacity development and solidarity actions in Asia and beyond. It has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and consultative relationship with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. The FORUM-ASIA Secretariat is based in Bangkok, with offices in Jakarta, Geneva and Kathmandu. www.forum-asia.org
Front Line Defenders was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk (HRDs), people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Front Line Defenders addresses the protection needs identified by HRDs themselves. Front Line Defenders maintains its headquarters in Dublin, an EU Office in Brussels, and regionally-based field staff in the Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe & Central Asia, and the Middle East. www.frontlinedefenders.org
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Communications and Media Programme, FORUM-ASIA, communication@forum-asia.org
