The newspaper stands by Pravit's news reports and opinion pieces, saying they are in line with its editorial policies
In a letter addressed to General Prayuth Chan-ocha on Monday, The Nation called on the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to release its senior journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk from military custody as soon as possible.
In the letter, The Nation's managing editor Jintana Panyaarvudh said Pravit's detention was akin to curtailing press freedom. She also asked the junta to provide a public explanation as to why Pravit was taken into custody and disclose his whereabouts so his family, colleagues and an authorised lawyer can visit him.
The letter also said that if the junta was unable to provide proper justification for his detention, then it "should consider releasing Pravit immediately".
The letter also stressed that The Nation stood in support of Pravit's news reports and opinion pieces that The Nation has published because they were in line with its editorial principles.
The fact that the junta has not offered any justification for Pravit's detention "has raised fears that attempts are being made to curtail media freedom at a time when the public has the greatest need for information", the letter read.
The letter was submitted to the NCPO chief yesterday through Army deputy spokesperson Colonel Sirichan Nga-Thong at the Internal Security Operations Command headquarters.
The Nation's editor-in-chief Thepchai Yong had earlier called on the junta to revoke all orders issued in the aftermath of the coup that restrict freedom of expression and press.
Source: The Nation, 26 May 2013
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