Media rights groups pan Thai emergency censorship

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    Date: 
    9 April 2010

    Bangkok (Mizzima) - Media rights groups have expressed concerns over the Thai government’s recent censorship under the state of emergency imposed on Thursday for its threat to freedom of expression and media rights and that it may lead to violence from political conflict.

    Reporters Without Borders (RWB) released a statement on Friday after the Thai government a day earlier had blocked dozens of websites and cut transmission of a television station under article nine, section three of the state of emergency decree (“Emergency Decree on Public Administration in a State of Emergency”, unofficial Thai translation), which prohibits the dissemination of information liable to disturb “public order”. Most of the media affected are linked to the opposition United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), or “red-shirt” movement, but some, such as the website Prachatai, are independent.