Journalists acquitted in Thai navy defamation trial

Phuket

An Australian journalist and his Thai colleague were acquitted of criminal defamation yesterday over a report implicating Thailand's navy in human trafficking, as the country faces heavy criticism for its role in the deadly trade.

The pair was also found not guilty on another charge of breaching the nation's tough Computer Crimes Act in a high-profile trial that had sparked condemnation from human rights groups and the United Nations.

Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian, of the Phuketwan news website, had faced up to seven years in jail over a July 2013 article quoting a Reuters news agency investigation that said some Thai navy members were involved in trafficking Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar.

The ruling is a rare bright spot for the media in a nation governed by a junta that has stamped down on freedom of expression. Amnesty International welcomed the verdict but added that the two journalists "should never have had to stand trial in the first place".

"This is just the latest in a long line of attacks on freedom of expression and media outlets since the military seized power in 2014," regional spokesman Josef Benedict said.