Angkhana Neelapaijit
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2018-053-901
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2018
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 15.870032
Longitude: 100.992541
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Thailand
- From Region
- UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
- UN Special Procedures: Thematic
- Dates of prior UN action
- 13 September 2017
- Type of record
- Named individual
- Gender
- Female
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Individual's/organization's activity
Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand; individual recipients of a grant of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (see followup)
- Type of rights defended
- Civil/political rights
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Engagement with UN body
- Unclear
- Dates of engagement
- Unclear
- Type of attempted engagement
- Unclear
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- Unclear
- Reprisal information
reportedly subject to an online smear campaign, accusing them of bias and misinformation, and associating their human rights advocacy with the promotion of insurgency and separatist movements (THA 6/2017)
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Defamation / Defamation campaign
- Online harassment
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- Unclear
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- No
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 4
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 0
- 2019
- Follow up information provided in SG report 0
- The 2017 (A/HRC/36/31, para. 57 and Annex I, paras. 80–81) and 2018 (A/HRC/39/41, Annex II paras. 51–53) reports of the Secretary-General noted that grant recipients of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture were subject to a legal complaint filed by the Royal Thai Army, dismissed in October 2017, for publishing a report on cases of torture and ill-treatment by military in the Southern Border Provinces. They were also harassed online. In September 2018, following the presentation of the 2018 report of the Secretary-General to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/39/41), it was reported that Ms. Anghkhana Neelapaijit and other defenders were subjected to smearing on social media. For example, a photo of Ms. Neelapaijit was circulated and she was accused of manipulating the truth.
- On 28 June 2019, the Government responded to the allegations providing detailed comments. [...] Regarding the reported online smear campaign against Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit, the Government shared that she filed two libel complaints on 7 June 2017 and 18 September 2017. The Royal Thai Police instructed the competent authorities to treat them as urgent cases, which are still under investigation. Preliminary findings suggest that the incidents involve fake Facebook accounts.
- Followup Trends 0
- No substantive information provided by SG report
- Did the government respond? 0
- Yes
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 1
- 2020
- Follow up information provided in SG report 1
- The 2017 (A/HRC/36/31, para. 57 and Annex I, paras. 80–81), 2018 (A/HRC/39/41, Annex II paras. 51–53) and 2019 (A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, para. 101) reports of the Secretary-General drew attention to intimidation and an online smear campaign against human rights defenders, including individual recipients of a grant of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, notably Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit, Ms. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet and Ms. Anchana Heemmina (THA 6/2017). 82
- In the reporting period, the cyber harassment of political activists and defenders reporting alleged human rights violations in the Southern Border Provinces who continue to cooperate with the UN continued, with photos of Ms. Neelapaijit, Ms. Khongkachonkeit and Ms. Heeminah surfacing online with disparaging comments. Given their visibility, it is reported that these and other women defenders in particular faced online attacks and their human rights reporting and advocacy were discredited. Information was received that they were targeted for questioning the militarization and use of ill-treatment and torture by State forces, and accused of sympathizing with armed groups.
- On 23 July 2020, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report. The Government stated that both cases filed by Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit are still under investigation, and that the Royal Thai Police has been regularly monitoring social media to check for any online harassment against her. Since 2018, no further online content directly attacking Ms. Neelapaijit has been found. According to the records of the Department of Special Investigation, Ms. Khongkachonkiet and Ms. Heemmina decided not to file criminal charges, but the relevant government agencies have accepted their request to help them identify possible online perpetrators. Meanwhile, the Government is currently revising domestic legislation in order to give better protection to human rights defenders.
- Followup Trends 1
- Deterioration/further reprisals
- Did the government respond? 1
- Yes
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 2
- 2021
- Follow up information provided in SG report 2
- The 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 reports of the Secretary-General246 drew attention to alleged harassment, intimidation and an online smear campaign against human rights defenders who had documented cases of torture and ill-treatment by military in the Southern Border Provinces, including of individuals recipients of a grant of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. Grant recipient Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit, who continues to cooperate with the UN, were among those targeted (THA 6/2017).247 It was reported to OHCHR that Ms. Neelapaijit continues to be attacked on social media. On 4 November 2020, Ms. Neelapaijit filed a civil case against the Office of the Prime Minister and Royal Thai Army seeking remedy for damages related to Internal Security Operations Command of the Thai Army’s alleged disinformation and smear campaign via the pulony.blogspot.com website, which allegedly used public money to attack women human rights defenders. She petitioned to have the reported fake news, offensive content and disinformation removed. The preliminary hearing has been postponed from May to 30 July 2021 due to the COVID19 pandemic.
- Followup Trends 2
- Stayed same
- Did the government respond? 2
- No
- In which SG report was this case followed up on? 3
- 2025
- Follow up information provided in SG report 3
- The reports of the Secretary-General between 2017 and 2021,123 drew attention to alleged harassment, intimidation and an online smear campaign against human rights defenders who had documented cases of torture and ill-treatment by military in the Southern Border Provinces, including of individuals recipients of a grant of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. Grant recipient Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit, who continues to cooperate with the UN, was among those targeted (THA 6/2017). Reportedly, Ms. Neelapaijit was harassed on social media and, in November 2020, filed a civil case against the Office of the Prime Minister and Royal Thai Army concerning alleged disinformation and smear campaign online. She petitioned to have the reported fake news, offensive content and disinformation removed. Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit is a woman human rights defender and former National Human Rights Commissioner of Thailand and a member of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance.
- On 20 June 2024, special procedure mandate holders addressed allegations of surveillance of Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit during commemorative events held on 11 March 2024 for the families of individuals who have been forcibly disappeared, including his husband (THA 7/2024), to which the government responded. 124 Reportedly, two individuals present at the event identified themselves as working for the Internal Security Operations Command when approached. One of them allegedly took photos of Ms. Neelapaijit and other participants, including relatives of other forcibly disappeared persons. They reportedly stated to have sent the photos to his supervisor. On 18 March 2024, Ms. Neelapaijit submitted a letter to the Minister of Justice, requesting an investigation into the alleged surveillance and intimidation targeting families of the disappeared. At the time of writing, no response has been received (THA 7/2024).
- With regard to the ongoing case of Ms. Neelpaijit against the Office of the Prime Minister and Royal Thai Army, on 16 February 2023, the Court of Justice dismissed her civil case and Ms. Neelapaijit subsequently filed an appeal. According to information received by OHCHR, the decision on the appeal is still pending. In another legal case concerning a defamation claim filed against Ms. Neelpaijit and other human rights defenders, (THA 3/2020),125 the matter is at the time of writing before the Appeal Court, and remains pending decision.
- Followup Trends 3
- Significant positive and negative developments
- Date of follow up 3
- 20 June 2024
- Did the government respond? 3
- No
- Was this case followed up by a UN body? 3
- UN Special Procedures: UN Special Procedures - General
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