Court acquits reporter over farm tweet

A THAI appeals court overturned charges against a television reporter who had been sentenced to two years in prison for libelling a chicken farm on Twitter.

Suchanee Cloitre was convicted in December 2019 for a Twitter post about a legal dispute over working conditions at a farm.

In a statement, the court ruled that while some of her wording had not been suitable, she had done no wrong.

“As a member of the press and a citizen, the defendant has the right to investigate, criticise and give opinion that is in the public interest,” it said.

The Twitter post centred on a complaint that a group of migrant workers about conditions at the chicken farm in 2016.