<p>UN human rights experts&nbsp;urged today (22 October)&nbsp;the Thai government to guarantee the fundamental rights of peaceful assembly and free speech and called for an end to a crackdown on peaceful protests.</p>

<p>Following the report of a court order to <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8859">suspend</a>&nbsp;Voice TV&#39;s online platforms, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have issued statements on the government&#39;s attempt to shut down media outlets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Voice TV&rsquo;s online platforms are facing suspension after the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) obtained a court order for its suspension, claiming that it has violated the Computer Crimes Act and the order of the chief official under the severe state of emergency.</p>

<p>The Thai authorities have issued an order under the Emergency Decree for an investigation into and possible suspension of four media outlets: Voice TV, Prachatai, The Reporters, and The Standard, as well as the student activist group Free Youth&#39;s Facebook page, for their coverage of the recent protests in Thailand.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;government&rsquo;s declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok is a pretext for a crackdown on peaceful demonstrations, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/15/thailand-emergency-decree-pretext-crackdown">Human Rights Watch</a> said yesterday (15 October).</p>

<p>Six months into the Covid-19 pandemic, the CIVICUS Monitor has found&nbsp;ongoing and unjustifiable restrictions on the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression across the world, while people continue to mobilise despite these restrictions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additional charges have been filed against 7 leading anti-dictatorship protest figures for staging a protest against the arrest of Anon Nampa, a human rights lawyer and monarchy reform critic, in front of Bangkhen Police Station on 7 August without informing the police.</p>

<p>The May 18 Memorial Foundation expresses solidarity with the young protesters in<br />Thailand. We respect their peaceful call for greater democracy.</p>

<p>International human rights organisations are calling on the Government of Thailand to observe international human rights laws and standards ahead of a planned protest expected to attract tens of thousands to Bangkok this weekend.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Global civil society alliance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/media-releases/4623-cambodia-civicus-calls-on-government-to-release-activists-after-wave-of-arrests">CIVICUS</a>&nbsp;is extremely concerned by an ongoing crackdown on activists in Cambodia over the last month. A chilling wave of arrests marks an escalation of attempts by the authorities to intimidate activists and silence all forms of dissent and highlights the rapid deterioration of human rights in Cambodia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.tlhr2014.com/?p=21245">The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)</a> has reported that a 16-year-old student in Bangkok was summoned by a teacher after making a speech at the student protest on 5 September. She was asked to give the names of schoolmates who joined the protest and not to make any speeches again out of concern for the school&rsquo;s reputation.</p>