Source: Amnesty International –
Amnesty International has called on the Thai authorities to investigate and take any necessary measures to end cyberattacks against human rights activists after leaked internal government documents showed that Amnesty International was among several civil society groups targeted in a coordinated, state-sponsored campaign.
The documents, which were brought to light in a recent parliamentary debate, revealed Thai police and military units are jointly running a “Cyber Team” which deliberately sought to tarnish the reputations and undermine the legitimate work of civil society organizations and political opposition members.
It also engaged in phishing attacks and brute-force attempts to access social media accounts. The former Executive Director of Amnesty International’s Thailand office was among those targeted.
“These cyberattacks are an outrageous assault on Thailand’s civic space. Thai authorities must immediately end these malicious smear campaigns against human rights defenders and activists,” Amnesty International’s Thailand Researcher Chanatip Tatiyakaroonwong said.
“The Thai government must take any necessary measures to disclose full details regarding state actors’ involvement and hold accountable all those responsible—whether they are state officials, members of the security forces or private individuals.”