An Australian journalist facing criminal defamation charges brought by the Royal Thai Navy is due to appear before a criminal court judge in Thailand and says he is prepared to face jail to fight the case.
Alan Morison, formerly of Melbourne and editor of on-line news website, Phuket-wan, in Phuket, faces up to seven years jail and fines up to 100,000 baht ($A3400) along with reporter Chutima Sidasathiam if they are found guilty this week on charges of criminal defamation and breaches of the Computer Crimes Act.
The charges were brought against Morison and Chutima in July last year, following the publication of a Reuters news agency report into allegations of Royal Thai Navy personnel involvement in smuggling Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to Malaysia.
Morison says both he and Chutima are willing to face jail over the charges, claiming the legal action is a bid to impose censorship by the Thai Navy.
"This is an abuse of military power and it is aimed directly at the freedom of the media in Thailand," Morison said on the Phuket-wan website.
"If the prosecutor requests that we must provide bail next week, we intend to go straight to jail," he said.
"Laws like these shouldn't be a part of modern democracy."
In Myanmar the Muslim Rohingya, especially in Western Arakine State, are largely stateless with hundreds fleeing each year in a bid to reach the Muslim states of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Persecution against the Rohingya by Buddhists in Myanmar has intensified in the past year.
Thailand's official policy has been to assist boats, providing water and food.
But allegations of human rights abuses have been widespread, often involving Thai security personnel and human trafficking gangs.
