米ＦＢ、タイ王室批判グループの閉鎖命令に法的措置の構え

【バンコクＡＦＰ＝時事】米フェイスブックは25日、タイ王室に関する議論を行っていた民主活動家らのグループの閉鎖を求めるタイ政府の命令に対し、法的措置を取る構えを示した。（写真は民主活動家らによる抗議デモ）
　同国ではここ数週間、多くの人々がその合法性を疑問視する軍主導の政権と、過度の権力を持つ王室に対する怒りに後押しされる形で、若者主導の抗議デモの波が全国に広がっている。
　今年４月に開設され、メンバーが１００万人を超えていた「ロイヤリスト・マーケットプレース」というフェイスブック上の非公開グループは、２４日に閉鎖された。
　フェイスブックは、同グループを排除するようタイ政府に「強制された」と説明。その上で、「こうした要求は厳しいものであり、国際人権法に反し、人々の自己表現能力を萎縮させる作用を持つ」と指摘した。
　さらに「わが社はすべてのインターネットユーザーの権利を保護し、擁護するために注力しており、今回の要求に対し法的措置を取る準備をしている」と発表した。
　同社は、この法的手段の詳細は明らかにしていないが、こうした要求は同社のタイへの投資力をそこなうと警告している。
　タイを離れ日本を拠点にしている活動家で、同グループを管理するパウィン・チャッチャワーンポンパン氏はＡＦＰに対し、同グループは、タイ王室の政治的役割や反対派の改革案など、王室に関する「真の議論」の場になっていたと語った。
　一方在タイ日本大使館前では、王室派による小規模なカウンターデモが行われた。参加者らは、パウィン氏を不敬罪で裁判にかけるため、タイに送還するよう日本政府に求めた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/08/26-13:03）

Facebook said Tuesday it would file a legal challenge against a Thai government order to take down a group where pro-democracy activists held discussions about the monarchy, a taboo subject in the country.
A growing tide of youth-led protests has swept Thailand in recent weeks -- buoyed by anger against what many regard as an illegitimate, military-aligned government and an overly powerful royal family.
The private Facebook group, called Royalist Marketplace, was created in April and had more than a million members before it was taken down on Monday.
A Facebook spokesperson told AFP the network had been compelled by the government to remove the group.
Requests like this are severe, contravene international human rights law, and have a chilling effect on people's ability to express themselves, the platform said.
We work to protect and defend the rights of all internet users and are preparing to legally challenge this request.
The company did not give details of the legal action, but warned that such requirements would undermine its ability to reliably invest in the country.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun, an exiled Thai activist based in Japan and moderator for the group, told AFP it had been a place for genuine discussion on the monarchy, including its political role and protesters' proposals for reforms.
Thailand's biggest recent pro-democracy rallies have seen up to 20,000 turn out on the streets, in a movement partly inspired by the Hong Kong protests last year.
The Thai monarchy has long been a taboo subject and is shielded by a harsh royal defamation law, under which people can be sentenced to up to 15 years per charge.
- 'Facebook should fight' -
King Maha Vajiralongkorn is hugely powerful, supported by the arch-royalist military and the country's billionaire clans.
Since ascending the throne, he has amassed direct control of the palace's fortune, estimated to be worth up to $60 billion.
Protesters are calling for more transparency of palace finances and for the defamation law to be scrapped -- as well as the dissolution of parliament and a new constitution.
The prime minister is the former army chief, who led a military coup in 2014 before being elected in polls last year.
Activists say the vote was stacked in his favour thanks to a constitution scripted by the military.
Pavin said the group's removal by Facebook showed the company was working to promote authoritarianism in Thailand, and endorsing the government's tactic in censorship of information.
It has become a part of obstruction of democratisation process in Thailand, as well as of free speech.
Human Rights Watch slammed Thailand for using rights-abusing laws to crack down on freedom of expression.
Facebook should fight the government's demands in every forum it can to protect Thai people's human rights, said Asia Advocacy Director John Sifton.
So far 11 activists have been arrested on various charges, including sedition and breaking coronavirus gathering rules, but nobody has yet been charged under the royal defamation law.
On Tuesday morning, prominent activist and human rights lawyer Anon Numpa, 35, was arrested for the third time in relation to the protests.
A small royalist counter-demonstration also took place outside the Japanese embassy with protesters demanding Tokyo deport Pavin back to Thailand to face lese-majeste charges.
burs-rs/dhc/kaf