(BANGKOK, May 2021)—On May 5, the Thai Appeal Court rejected an appeal brought by controversial Thai poultry company Thammakaset Company Limited against Myanmar migrant worker and labor rights defender Nan Win. The verdict confirmed the Saraburi Provincial Court’s decision on March 24, 2020 to dismiss a complaint brought by Thammakaset. In the complaint, Thammakaset alleged that Nan Win provided “false testimony” when he testified about labor rights violations taking place at the company’s farm in 2016. If the case had proceeded, Nan Win would have faced up to seven years in prison and/or 14,000 Thai Baht (US$430) in fines.
Since 2018, Fortify Rights has consistently supported Nan Win and other human rights defenders facing lawsuits by Thammakaset. Over the years, we secured more than US$72,000 in emergency grant assistance to support the legal fees and other costs resulting from the cases. We have also issued at least 40 publications, including 21 news releases, two joint statements, two open letters, and five short films to bring attention to the cases, and regularly engage members of the diplomatic community on these cases. We also continue to monitor the trials of human rights defenders facing judicial harassment by Thammakaset.