ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights urge international intervention amid threats to Thailand’s largest political party

In a fervent call to action, the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) has appealed to the international community to intervene as Thailand faces potential dissolution of its largest political entity, the Move Forward Party (MFP).

This move, if realized, could impose a decade-long ban on its executive members from participating in formal politics, a decision met with stark criticism from APHR.

“The international community must step in to monitor and deter the use of judicial mechanisms to dissolve the Move Forward Party,” emphasized APHR Chair Mercy Chriesty Barends, an Indonesian Member of Parliament, expressing grave concern over the erosion of democratic principles.

The dissolution threat stems from the MFP’s campaign pledge to reform the lèse-majesté law, a stance deemed by Thai authorities as an attempt to subvert the government.

“This possible judicial overreach not only infringes upon the legislative branch’s authority but also undermines the democratic essence itself,” Barends asserted, denouncing the move as a blatant disregard for the separation of powers.

APHR’s Co-Chair, former Malaysian MP Charles Santiago, echoed these sentiments, decrying a regression in Thailand’s democratic trajectory.

“Democracy in Thailand is backsliding, not only due to a military coup, but also through dubious interpretations of laws employed to target opposition politicians,” Santiago emphasized, warning of potential unrest and economic repercussions should the MFP suffer a fate akin to its predecessor, the Future Forward Party, in 2019.

The MFP, which secured the most seats in the 2023 general elections, has faced a barrage of legal challenges, including a blockade from leading the coalition government and individual campaigns of judicial harassment against its members, including party leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

Beyond the plight of the MFP, APHR underscored broader human rights concerns in Thailand, noting a concerning uptick in the use of lèse-majesté and computer crime laws to stifle dissenting voices.

These actions, occurring amidst Thailand’s bid for a seat at the UN Human Rights Council, reflect a disconcerting trend that demands international scrutiny and action.

“Thailand’s trajectory towards authoritarianism cannot go unchallenged. The international community must uphold its commitment to human rights and democracy by holding those responsible for judicial harassment to account,” Barends urged, calling for sustained vigilance to safeguard political freedoms in the region.