The Director of the Isra Institute has filed a defamation complaint against a well-known Scottish journalist over sexual harassment allegation.

The Isra Institute on 16 September 2017 issued a public statement that Prasong Lertratanawisute, its director, had filed a complaint with the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) against Andrew MacGregor Marshall, a former Bangkok-based Scottish journalist wanted for lèse majesté.

The complaint followed a statement issued earlier by the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) about an accusation of sexual harassment involving an unidentified executive of a media organisation, which led to the resignation of an employee of the organisation.

The TJA stated that it would investigate the matter, but did not identify the name of the suspect nor the media organisation. Marshall later alleged that the suspect was Prasong.

The Isra Institute stated that the allegation was groundless and was propagated by people whose interests have been affected by the agency’s investigative reporting, adding that it has the right to take legal action against those who defame Prasong and the agency.

On 17 September, Marshall posted a statement on his Facebook account that he decided to name the suspect because he is a fugitive living outside Thailand he cannot be harmed by the Thai law.

“If Isra was a credible organisation it would conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the allegations against Prasong,” Marshall wrote on Facebook. “But the truth is, there is no conspiracy. I just want to help victims of sexual harassment get their voice heard.”