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Amnesty wants to continue working in Thailand despite calls for deportation

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Amnesty International wants to continue to promote and protect human rights in Thailand despite calls for the organization to be expelled from the country.

In November 2021, a Thai deputy minister made a public call for Amnesty International to be banned from Thailand. The government officially launched an online petition and helped organize calls on social media to expel the human rights organization. Small protests were also organized. The Prime Minister responded by announcing an investigation into the work of Amnesty International Thailand on November 26, 2021.

‘Amnesty Independent and Impartial’
‘As a global movement with activities in more than 70 countries and members in 150 countries and territories, our mission remains the same: to monitor and hold states, corporations and others accountable for human rights violations under international law,’ said Kyle Ward, deputy secretary-general of Amnesty International.

“We provide constructive recommendations to authorities on steps they can take to fulfil their international human rights obligations. We will continue to do this independently and impartially, based on facts. We will answer any questions the Thai government has about our work in the country,” said Kyle Ward.

Ensuring Human Rights
‘We recognize that the Royal Thai Government has a duty to protect public order and national security. But we continue to emphasize that authorities must do this in a way that is consistent with international human rights law. Measures must be proportionate and necessary and must never lead to the government not guaranteeing human rights. Think of the right to freedom of expression and to peaceful assembly.’

Amnesty International’s recommendations to authorities to fulfil their human rights obligations stem from internationally agreed human rights standards that Thailand has also committed to upholding.

Controversial Bill
‘The anti-amnesty campaign comes as Thai authorities try to pass a controversial law regulating non-profit organizations in the country,’ said Kyle Ward. “This law could have serious consequences for all civil society organizations in Thailand. Amnesty has repeatedly called on the government to withdraw the bill and enter into consultations. Amnesty is being targeted at a time when Thai authorities are showing a growing intolerance to human rights discourse.’

Amnesty International’s global movement consists of the International Secretariat in London and a network of international members and national entities, including Amnesty International Thailand. Although Amnesty International Thailand and the International Secretariat are separate legal entities, they work closely together under the same statute.

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