The United Nations has urged Thailand to drop defamation charges against an Australian and a Thai journalist for a report alleging military involvement in people-smuggling, warning of a "chilling effect" on press freedom.
Alan Morison and his colleague Chutima Sidasathian are being accused by a military officer of damaging the Thai navy's reputation and of breaching the country's Computer Crimes Act.
Mr Morison, formally of Melbourne, edits the news website Phuketwan, which in July published an article highlighting the Thai navy's involvement with Rohingya asylum seekers.
The pair face jail terms of five years and two years respectively, if convicted.
"Criminal prosecution for defamation has a chilling effect on freedom of the press, and international standards are clear that imprisonment is never an appropriate penalty for defamation," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement released in Geneva on Thursday.
"We urge the government of Thailand to drop the charges against Mr Morison and Ms Sidasathian and to ensure the freedom of the press in the country."
The allegations of misconduct were made by Thai Captain Panlob Komtonlok of the Third Naval Area Command, which oversees the Andaman Sea coast, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance said last week.
The Rohingya, considered by the United Nations to be one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, have long made the perilous journey from Myanmar by boat.
But that exodus accelerated after Buddhist-Muslim clashes in 2012 in western Rakhine State, with thousands of Rohingya - including women and children - since fleeing the former junta-ruled country.
Rights groups have raised concerns about alleged cases of boats being pushed back out to sea after entering Thai waters.
They have also criticised the detention of hundreds of Rohingya in overcrowded facilities while Thailand waits for a "third country" to offer to take them.
Mr Morison said last week two Reuters journalists who wrote the original article published on the website would also face charges.
Reuters has not received any criminal complaint about its original article quoted by Phuketwan, a spokeswoman said last week.
On Wednesday, Mr Morison lodged a letter of appeal with the Governor of Phuket, Maitree Intrusud, ahead of the governor's meeting with senior Thai military personnel to discuss security.
The MEAA last week called for all charges to be dropped against Mr Morison and Ms Sidasathian.
