Malaysia-Thailand: Australian writer Murray Hunter targeted in act of transnational repression
‘As the current ASEAN Chair, the Malaysian government has a responsibility to demonstrate its commitment to human rights, including the right to freedom of expression, across the region. Instead, it has chosen to pursue domestic civil defamation charges against writer and journalist Murray Hunter over his public interest commentary, and worse still, it is also pursuing criminal defamation charges against him in Thailand, in what amounts to an alarming act of transnational repression. We call on the Malaysian government to withdraw its police complaints immediately’, said Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.
21 November 2025: The Malaysian government must immediately withdraw its police complaints against writer and journalist Murray Hunter in Thailand and Malaysia, PEN International and PEN Malaysia said today. The organisations are alarmed by the Malaysian government’s transnational pursuit of criminal defamation charges and a SLAAP suit, which have deeply troubling implications for freedom of expression across the region.
On 17 November 2025, journalist and writer Murray Hunter was indicted by a Thai court on four counts of criminal defamation, following a complaint filed by a Malaysian government agency regarding several articles that were self-published on Hunter’s Substack newsletter in April 2024. In Thailand, each conviction of defamation under Section 328 of the Thai Criminal Code can result in up to two years’ imprisonment. If convicted on all four counts, Hunter faces a potential maximum sentence of eight years’ imprisonment and a fine not exceeding 800,000 Thai baht (approximately 24,500 USD).
Murray Hunter was arrested by the Thai police on 29 September 2025 at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, where he was due to board a flight to Hong Kong. After a night in detention, Hunter was released on bail with his passport seized to prevent him from leaving the country pending the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings against him.
Hunter’s indictment in Thailand took place after a separate civil defamation judgement was reportedly found against him by a local court in Malaysia on 15 October, following a police complaint submitted in April 2024 by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which acts as the state regulator for Malaysia’s media and communications sector. Hunter states that he had no knowledge of the ruling and that he was never served with any documents regarding the case against him.
In a statement issued in April 2024, the MCMC alleged that Hunter’s writings were defamatory. Included in Hunter’s articles posted at the time of the complaint are his criticisms of the MCMC’s reported blocking of websites deemed to be critical of the government and reports that MCMC officials accompanied police during raids of the homes of Malaysian citizens, which Hunter views as a form of intimidation and an abuse of power.
The MCMC’s pursuit of defamation charges against Hunter occur at a time when the Malaysia’s freedom of expression environment is deteriorating markedly. In December 2024, the Malaysian government passed amendments to its Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA), which regulates the country’s media and communications industries, providing the MCMC with expanded powers to remove online content with limited oversight. The amendment was passed just weeks after the Malaysian government was forced to suspend plans to route overseas internet traffic through Malaysian ISPs, which the MCMC argued was necessary to enhance online safety, following pushback from civil society groups over concerns about the plan’s implications for online privacy and expression.
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. In particular, its 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, particularly in circumstances where their expression may be deemed controversial or critical of governments and state agencies.
PEN International and PEN Malaysia urge the Malaysian government to act in accordance with its constitutional commitment to the right of freedom of expression, ensuring that writers and journalists can continue to engage in expression on issues of public interest. As the current Chair of ASEAN, by withdrawing its complaint against Murray Hunter, the Malaysian government has an opportunity to reassert its commitment to human rights and the principles of accountability and transparency.
Additional information:
Murray Hunter is an established independent journalist, writer and former academic, whose commentary on governance and politics in Malaysia have been regularly featured in Malaysian news outlets, including Free Malaysia Today and Malay Mail. In addition to his self-published Substack newsletter, Hunter is also the author of several books on Malaysia’s history, economy and politics. In apparent retaliation for the critical nature of some of his blog posts, access to Hunter’s Substack was blocked in Malaysia for several months in October 2023.
PEN International has long denounced the use of criminal defamation charges and SLAPPs to silence and harass writers and journalists worldwide. PEN International opposes criminal defamation in all cases and urges the repeal of all criminal defamation and insult laws. The organisation further condemns the growing use of SLAPPs, which have become a significant threat to media freedom and advocacy rights, and calls upon all governments to adopt meaningful anti-SLAPP measures.
Note to Editors:
For further information, please contact Ross Holder, Head of Asia-Pacific region at PEN International, email: [email protected]
For media queries, please contact Sabrina Tucci, PEN International Communications and Campaigns Manager: [email protected]