Thai court clears Australian writer after Malaysian defamation case withdrawn

A defamation case by Malaysia’s telecoms regulator against an Australian resident in Thailand was formally withdrawn from a Thai court on Monday after mediation, the sued man and his lawyer said.The case has caused concern among free speech advocates because it was seen as a form of cross-border repression.The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, or MCMC, had already acknowledged in a statement earlier this month that it had reached a settlement agreement on January 12, which would drop criminal proceedings against Murray Hunter. It also said it was withdrawing a civil case in Malaysia against Hunter.Hunter was sued in connection with articles he had posted on his Substack online newsletter.“The Malaysian government’s use of SLAPPs [strategic lawsuits against public participation] and willingness to engage in transnational repression signals a significant escalation in its willingness to silence critical voices,” IFEX, an international coalition of organisations promoting free expression, said in a statement in November.It said that Malaysia’s use of criminal defamation laws to target individuals beyond its borders is alarming as it serves to intimidate writers, artists and others from expressing views on issues of public interest and concern.PEN International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists were among the groups that protested Hunter’s arrest.