Australian Journalist Murray Hunter Apologises to Malaysian Regulator in Thai Defamation Settlement
After prolonged legal ordeal spanning Malaysia and Thailand, journalist retracts disputed articles and reaches agreement that could see charges dropped and travel freedom restored
Australian journalist and commentator Murray Hunter has formally apologised to Malaysia’s media regulator as part of a settlement that has brought a long-running transnational defamation dispute to a close in Thailand.
In a Thai court hearing on January 12, Mr Hunter agreed to retract and apologise for articles that Malaysian authorities said defamed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), effectively bringing an unprecedented criminal defamation case to a conclusion.
The defamation complaint, lodged by the MCMC over articles published on his Substack newsletter in April 2024, had prompted the Malaysian regulator to pursue both civil and criminal proceedings — the latter through Thai authorities, resulting in Mr Hunter’s arrest at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in September 2025 while he attempted to board a flight to Hong Kong.
The Bangkok South Criminal Court judge, wary of issuing a ruling in a case initiated by a foreign regulator, encouraged mediation between the parties, leading to the January settlement.
As part of the agreement, Mr Hunter issued a public apology and withdrew the disputed content, and in return, his Thai-held passport and visa are to be returned, restrictions on his freedom of movement eased, and blocks on his online content lifted.
Mr Hunter had faced a potential prison term under Thailand’s criminal defamation law, which allows for penalties of up to two years per count, underscoring the severity of the legal jeopardy he confronted.
Rights and press freedom advocates have criticised the case as an example of the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation — known as SLAPPs — and of transnational legal pressure exerted to curb critical reporting, prompting calls for broader reforms of defamation laws in the region.
Mr Hunter has expressed an intention to pursue advocacy for legal reform focused on anti-SLAPP protections and safeguards for journalists and commentators, even as the settlement resolves the immediate legal challenge.
The case has highlighted complex jurisdictional issues and the potential for cross-border legal actions to affect journalists’ ability to report on public interest matters, particularly when domestic defamation laws intersect with international procedures.
In a Thai court hearing on January 12, Mr Hunter agreed to retract and apologise for articles that Malaysian authorities said defamed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), effectively bringing an unprecedented criminal defamation case to a conclusion.
The defamation complaint, lodged by the MCMC over articles published on his Substack newsletter in April 2024, had prompted the Malaysian regulator to pursue both civil and criminal proceedings — the latter through Thai authorities, resulting in Mr Hunter’s arrest at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in September 2025 while he attempted to board a flight to Hong Kong.
The Bangkok South Criminal Court judge, wary of issuing a ruling in a case initiated by a foreign regulator, encouraged mediation between the parties, leading to the January settlement.
As part of the agreement, Mr Hunter issued a public apology and withdrew the disputed content, and in return, his Thai-held passport and visa are to be returned, restrictions on his freedom of movement eased, and blocks on his online content lifted.
Mr Hunter had faced a potential prison term under Thailand’s criminal defamation law, which allows for penalties of up to two years per count, underscoring the severity of the legal jeopardy he confronted.
Rights and press freedom advocates have criticised the case as an example of the use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation — known as SLAPPs — and of transnational legal pressure exerted to curb critical reporting, prompting calls for broader reforms of defamation laws in the region.
Mr Hunter has expressed an intention to pursue advocacy for legal reform focused on anti-SLAPP protections and safeguards for journalists and commentators, even as the settlement resolves the immediate legal challenge.
The case has highlighted complex jurisdictional issues and the potential for cross-border legal actions to affect journalists’ ability to report on public interest matters, particularly when domestic defamation laws intersect with international procedures.
