A Thai court withdrew a defamation case filed by Malaysia’s telecom regulator against Australian resident Murray Hunter after mediation, Hunter and his lawyer said Monday. The mediation agreement itself was confidential, but Hunter said the public parts of the resolution included an apology and retractions and a court decision removing the criminal charge.
The case, reported as having been linked to online articles Hunter published on his Substack newsletter, triggered concerns from free-speech advocates who said it reflected cross-border pressure on critics. Hunter lives in southern Thailand, and the defamation matter was handled in a Bangkok court rather than in Malaysia.
Hunter told The Associated Press that he was able to get his passport back and travel again after the court withdrew the charge, and that he hoped to leave within the next few days. He also said he was not entirely satisfied with how the matter was handled, saying he felt he was treated unfairly under the law even as the criminal proceeding ended.
According to Hunter, he made an apology and retracted about 10 articles as part of the outcome. His lawyer, Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate, told AP that he agreed that the threat of transnational SLAPP suits remained in Thailand, adding that the “process is the punishment,” referring to the burden placed on defendants by lawsuits that can be used to intimidate speech.
Hunter said that while Malaysia’s criminal defamation action in Thailand was withdrawn, the broader pressure on speech was not necessarily over. He said he planned to stay in Thailand and was working on a book about the SLAPP lawsuits he faced.
Malaysia’s regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, or MCMC, had acknowledged earlier in February that it reached a settlement agreement on Jan. 12. MCMC said then that it would drop criminal proceedings against Hunter and also withdraw a civil case in Malaysia against him.
MCMC did not offer additional comment Monday about the court hearing, citing Malaysia’s Lunar New Year holidays. The AP report said the charge of defamation by publication is punishable by a maximum prison term of two years and a fine of 200,000 baht ($6,430).
The case drew protests from groups including IFEX, PEN International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists. In a November statement, IFEX said Malaysia’s use of SLAPPs and willingness to engage in transnational repression signaled an escalation in its willingness to silence critical voices, and it said targeting people beyond Malaysia’s borders using criminal defamation laws could intimidate writers and others from expressing views on issues of public interest.
Hunter’s arrest came in late September 2025. AP reported that he was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sept. 29 as he was about to board a flight to Hong Kong, jailed overnight, released on 20,000 baht ($643) bail, and had his passport seized before the matter was later resolved through mediation and withdrawal.