BANGKOK, 14 April 2014: The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) denies it threatened journalists, but instead asked for their cooperation, Thailand’s National News Bureau reported earlier this week.
PDRC spokesperson, Ekanat Promphan, asserted that the PDRC protesters had not threatened or used force against the press, adding that the protesters always adhered to the principle of protesting peacefully.
He said the PDRC only asked the media for their cooperation to stop airing announcements made by the caretaker government’s Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) and present news that was related to its own campaign instead.
He made the comments to the Thai Journalists Association and the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association after they made an official announcement condemning the PDRC’s occupation of several TV stations, namely channels 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
FCCT, that represents international media based in Thailand also condemned violence against international journalists covering the protest saying there had been instances of intimidation and threats.
The two Thai press associations said the anti-government protesters were threatening the rights and freedom of journalists to perform their professional duties.