SF chief reporter Christoph Müller arrested in Thailand
Christoph Müller, chief reporter and editorial director of DOK at Swiss Television, was arrested last Friday upon entering Thailand. The exact reason for the arrest has not yet been disclosed in detail.
Christoph Müller, chief reporter and head of the DOK editorial team at Swiss Television, was arrested on Friday last week when he entered Thailand. The Thai police released Müller on bail after 24 hours in custody, as SF announced on Monday. They took Müller's passport. He is not allowed to leave Thailand and must make himself available to the authorities. No date has been set for a hearing or court appearance.
The exact reason for his arrest and the arrest warrant against him has not yet been revealed to Müller in detail. The arrest warrant dates back to 2006 and is apparently based on a defamation complaint filed by a Thai organization. According to Müller, the accusations were probably triggered by a report about a Swiss man living in Thailand, which he filmed for the program "Reporter" in 2002. The trained brewer posed as a fake doctor in Asia for years and ran several highly controversial aid organizations for which he collected donations in Switzerland. However, Müller's report was only broadcast in Switzerland. That is why SF does not understand why a Thai court would even consider the complaint.
"We do not understand the arrest of our chief reporter," said SF editor-in-chief Ueli Haldimann. SF demands immediate clarification from the Thai authorities. SF is granting Christoph Müller full legal protection. The Swiss embassy in Bangkok and the FDFA have also assured Müller of their support within the framework of consular protection.
The exact reason for his arrest and the arrest warrant against him has not yet been revealed to Müller in detail. The arrest warrant dates back to 2006 and is apparently based on a defamation complaint filed by a Thai organization. According to Müller, the accusations were probably triggered by a report about a Swiss man living in Thailand, which he filmed for the program "Reporter" in 2002. The trained brewer posed as a fake doctor in Asia for years and ran several highly controversial aid organizations for which he collected donations in Switzerland. However, Müller's report was only broadcast in Switzerland. That is why SF does not understand why a Thai court would even consider the complaint.
"We do not understand the arrest of our chief reporter," said SF editor-in-chief Ueli Haldimann. SF demands immediate clarification from the Thai authorities. SF is granting Christoph Müller full legal protection. The Swiss embassy in Bangkok and the FDFA have also assured Müller of their support within the framework of consular protection.
