“A Grave Attack against Woman Human Rights Defender and Victim Advocate, and the Yogyakarta Regional Police’s Systematic Effort to Shield a Sex Offender”
July 29, 2024
South East Asia Public Interest Lawyer (SEAPIL) is writing in solidarity with Pattani. On 23 January 2025, the prosecutor indicted nine Malayu-Muslim individuals on all charges in the Melayu Raya 2022 case. The nine individuals were charged under Section 116 (sedition), Section 209 (member of secret society whose object is unlawful), and Section 210 (conspiracy to commit crimes as part of a criminal association) of the Criminal Code for participating in Melayu Raya, a Malayu-Muslim cultural gathering.
Sedition is punishable by up to seven years in prison. All nine were granted bail at THB 70,000/person. A preliminary evidence hearing is scheduled for 26 February 2025.
Background
Melayu Raya is an annual event that is held by the Patani Community every year to celebrate Idul Fitri. The aim of the event was to (1) promote and preserve local identity, (2) provide an avenue for youth to express their cultures, and (3) advocate for and support the peace process in Southern Thailand. In May 2022, more than 15,000 people gathered for Melayu Raya in Teluk Banda, Pattani Province, making it one of the biggest gatherings that Pattani has ever organized.
The 2022 Melayu Raya event was then reported by the Thai Army to the police for allegedly violating the Covid decree. The Covid Decree in question is a declaration published by the Thai government which includes regulations on mass gatherings (the organizer has to file an application letter in advance, containing the name of the event, people involved, and where the event took place). On 14 December 2023, the Pattani Police Station issued summonses to acknowledge the charges of the nine individuals — including Mr. Muhammad Aladee Dengni, Mr. Hasan Yamadibu, Mr. Sukiplee Kamae, and Mr. A Nas Daereh — for their alleged acts in Melayu Raya 2022. According to the police, alleged actions declared unlawful include:
- Delivering a speech on preserving cultural identity in the land of Patani
- Delivering a speech on restoring Melayu costumes as historically worn
- Singing songs about Patani youths and the land of Patani
- Leading religious pledges
These accusations are not exactly being confirmed by Thai governments due to their non-transparency in the case investigation. We see this case as an opportunity for the Thai government to silence different forms of activism as we view this issue as a SLAPP case. We see that this criminalization process is counter-productive with the peace process that is being pursued.
Demands
With the case, we urge the Thai Government to:
- Stop the criminalization of the nine individuals involved in Melayu Raya 2022
- Ensure freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in Thailand for the Patani Community
- Ensure a space for public participation in the peace process
- Stop using violence in case of law enforcement in the Pattani case
