12 May 2016

On 19th May 2016 at Southern Bangkok Criminal Court, British migrant rights defender Andy Hall goes on trial facing criminal defamation and computer crimes charges. Over three years since an original criminal prosecution was filed against Hall, the first three days of this criminal trial in May will hear testimony of prosecution witnesses. Defense witness testimony will be over eight days in June and July.

This criminal case with multiple charges filed is the most serious of all four cases brought by a Prachuap Khiri Khan province based pineapple processing company Natural Fruit Company Ltd. against Andy Hall. The charges were brought following publication of a Finnwatch report Cheap

Has a High Price in January 2013. Whilst this case was the first and most serious to be filed against Hall back in February 2013, it is the second case to actually reach a full criminal trial in Thailand’s courts. The criminal charges in this case carry a maximum combined penalty of seven years imprisonment in addition to potential fines…

The report Cheap Has a High Price alleged labour rights violations at Natural Fruit’s processing plant in Southern Thailand as reported from interviews with migrant workers from Myanmar…