UN rights chief ‘deeply troubled’ by dissolution of Thailand’s Move Forward Party

This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Thursday that a decision of the Constitutional Court in Thailand to dissolve the country’s largest political party was deeply troubling and that it undermined democratic processes and restricted political pluralism.

The court also banned the Move Forward Party’s (MFP) senior figures, including leader Pita Limjaroenrat, from politics for 10 years.

MFP had won the most seats in the May 2023 general elections in Thailand, securing 151 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.

Fundamental freedoms impacted

“This decision seriously impacts fundamental freedoms of expression and association, and people’s right to participate in public affairs and political life in Thailand,” Mr. Türk said.

The court found MFP guilty of jeopardizing the constitutional monarchy and national security on account of its advocacy for reform of the country’s lèse-majesté law.

The law prohibits defaming, insulting or threatening the royal family, and carries severe punishments for those found guilty. Authorities have also applied it against minors.

“No party or politician should ever face such penalties for peacefully advocating legal reform, particularly in support of human rights,” Mr. Türk added.

Diversity of voices crucial

The High Commissioner also noted that UN human rights mechanisms long expressed concern that the prohibition, set out in article 112 of the Criminal Code, is inconsistent with Thailand’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and should be reviewed.

He urged the Government to find ways to ensure a vibrant, strong and inclusive democracy that promotes and respects the rights to freedom of expression and association, as well as to end the use of lèse-majesté laws to suppress critical voices.

“A diversity of voices and opinions is fundamental to ensuring respect and protection of human rights and achieving peaceful social and economic development,” Mr. Türk said.