HRW report slams junta over continuing ‘repression’

[rooster59]

HRW report slams junta over continuing ‘repression’

By THE NATION

 

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha

 

THAILAND UNDER the junta has fared poorly on human rights, with no significant steps taken to restore basic freedoms and democratic rule last year, an international watchdog has said.

 

Human Rights Watch (HRW), in its World Report 2018 released yesterday, said the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) had failed in 2017 to keep its repeated promises made at the United Nations and elsewhere to respect human rights and restore democratic rule.

 

“The government announced the national human rights agenda in November, but did not end repression of civil and political liberties, imprisonment of dissidents, and impunity for torture and other abuses,” the report said.

 

In the latest 643-page annual report, its 28th edition, HRW has reviewed the human rights situation in more than 90 countries.

 

The report said that as head of the junta, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha “wields limitless authority, including the military’s power to arrest, detain and interrogate civilians without safeguards against abuse”. There are still at least 1,800 civilians facing prosecution in military courts, which do not meet international fair-trial standards, it added.

 

“Thailand’s military junta has used its unchecked powers to drop the country into an ever-deeper abyss of human rights abuses,” said Brad Adams, HRW Asia director. “Instead of restoring basic rights as promised, the junta prosecuted critics and dissenters, banned peaceful protests, and censored the media.”

 

“Prime Minister Prayut’s empty promises cannot justify a return to business as usual with Thailand,” Adams said. “Governments around the world should press the junta to immediately end repression, respect fundamental rights, and return the country to democratic civilian rule,” he added.

 

Media outlets face intimidation, punishment and closure if they publicise commentaries critical of the junta or raise issues the NCPO considers to be sensitive to national security, the report said. Last year, some television and radio stations were temporarily forced off the air, and were allowed to resume broadcasting only after they agreed to practice self-censorship.

 

HRW said that since the 2014 coup, Thai authorities have arrested at least 105 people on lese majeste charges. Some defendants have been convicted and sentenced to many years of imprisonment.

 

Also, the NCPO continued to summon members of the opposition Pheu Thai Party and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), as well as anyone accused of opposing military rule, for “attitude adjustment”, according to the report. Arrests were also made of dissident academics and journalists, as well as protesters against government projects.

 

In 2017, the NCPO rejected calls by human-rights groups to disclose information about persons held in secret military detention, and summarily dismissed all allegations that soldiers tortured detainees. “The junta did not move 369 cases [involving the prosecution of approximately 1,800 civilians] out of military courts and into civilian courts as required by international law,” HRW said.

 

To worsen the human rights situation, the HRW said, the National Legislative Assembly in February suspended its consideration of the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Bill, which would make torture and enforced disappearance criminal offences in accordance with Thailand’s treaty obligations. The government has not clarified whether the bill will be reintroduced.

 

However, there was some improvement. HRW said that in March 2017, in response to domestic and international pressure, the Internal Security Operations Command announced that it would end its legal action against activists Somchai Homlaor, Pornpen Khongkachonkiet and Anchana Heemmina, who accused the military of torturing suspected separatist insurgents in the southern border provinces. On October 24, prosecutors informed the police that the case had formally been dropped.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30336680

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-20

[colinneil]

Look at the photo, it says do you know who i am?

I am the man thats who i am, i do not have time for this.

[Oziex1]

Oh,  those foreigners just don't understand.

Thailand is different.

[Essecola]

Don't think the junta fellas will care. They have been doing what they want for a very long time now. Oh by the way, there will be an election in 2018. 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Hey Steven100 you still backing these guys?

[steven100]

HRW ....     who anywhere listens to them  ...

[jayboy]

24 minutes ago, steven100 said:

HRW ....     who anywhere listens to them  ...

All civilized people and governments.

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/making-news-human-rights-watch/258982/

 

 

[Becker]

28 minutes ago, steven100 said:

HRW ....     who anywhere listens to them  ...

All people who're not sad sycophants enamored with military strongmen.

 

PS. As I'm a very helpful guy I will post a useful link for you. Please note buddy that Air Asia's sale ends soon so your ticket out of Thailand should be booked ASAP. 

Remember; it's only a matter of time before the Shins are back in control and the junta leader is relegated to the scrap heap of history!

https://www.airasia.com/en/home.page?cid=1

[wakeupplease]

First line said it all

[punchjudy]

16 minutes ago, jayboy said:

All civilized people and governments.

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/06/making-news-human-rights-watch/258982/

 

 

" A $100 million, ten-year challenge grant from George Soros greatly boosted HRW's ambitions."

 

I bet it did

[Eric Loh]

That troll cited the HRW when referring to the extra-judiciary drug related deaths. He is a fake and a shill.  

[RichardColeman]

8 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“Thailand’s military junta has used its unchecked powers to drop the country into an ever-deeper abyss of human rights abuses,” said Brad Adams, HRW Asia director. “Instead of restoring basic rights as promised, the junta prosecuted critics and dissenters, banned peaceful protests, and censored the media.”

Yeah, but the economy is going great ! :)

 

 

[yellowboat]

4 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Yeah, but the economy is going great ! :)

The economy for whom ?  The 1% of the 1% are doing great.  The puppets are keeping the Baht strong so the elite can make purchases overseas.  The average Thai is not doing all that well with high household debt and low opportunities.

[RichardColeman]

2 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

The economy for whom ?  The 1% of the 1% are doing great.  The puppets are keeping the Baht strong so the elite can make purchases overseas.  The average Thai is not doing all that well with high household debt and low opportunities.

:) = joke ! 

[hansnl]

Does HRW also have comments on the situation in Indonesia with it's army controlled economy, the repression of Papua, Moluccans, the slow Javanisation (Islamisation) of other island

Or the situation in the Phillipines where police and other groups are still murdering so-called drug criminals?

Or the situation in Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Malaysia?

If you compare Thailand is surely coming out best?

Certainly, the government is not "elected" as in the other countries mentioned above, but I do think I prefer the situation here.

If I compare it to my own country, having a democratic government, I can only say democracy is far away, and combined with the unelected EU figures, I don't think the situation in Thailand is really that bad.

 

[steven100]

4 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Does HRW also have comments on the situation in Indonesia with it's army controlled economy, the repression of Papua, Moluccans, the slow Javanisation (Islamisation) of other island

Or the situation in the Phillipines where police and other groups are still murdering so-called drug criminals?

Or the situation in Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Malaysia?

exactly ,   as I commented earlier ....who the hell listens to what those clowns say   ??

[Lupatria]

8 hours ago, colinneil said:

Look at the photo, it says do you know who i am?

I am the man thats who i am, i do not have time for this.

The original underline of the pic fell victim to self censorship:

 

HRW - get the #$%&* out of here 

[tryasimight]

I wonder what they say about North Korea? I thought that would be the number one focus or is that too hard? 

[GinBoy2]

7 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

I wonder what they say about North Korea? I thought that would be the number one focus or is that too hard? 

This is what they say about the DPRK, and your point is??

 

Under the rule of Kim Jong-Un, North Korea remains among the world’s most repressive countries. All basic freedoms have been severely restricted under the Kim family’s political dynasty. A 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry found that abuses in North Korea were without parallel in the contemporary world. They include extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions, and other sexual violence. North Korea operates secretive prison camps where perceived opponents of the government are sent to face torture and abuse, starvation rations, and forced labor. Fear of collective punishment is used to silence dissent. There is no independent media, functioning civil society, or religious freedom. 

 

https://www.hrw.org/asia/north-korea

[heybruce]

20 hours ago, hansnl said:

Does HRW also have comments on the situation in Indonesia with it's army controlled economy, the repression of Papua, Moluccans, the slow Javanisation (Islamisation) of other island

Or the situation in the Phillipines where police and other groups are still murdering so-called drug criminals?

Or the situation in Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Malaysia?

If you compare Thailand is surely coming out best?

Certainly, the government is not "elected" as in the other countries mentioned above, but I do think I prefer the situation here.

If I compare it to my own country, having a democratic government, I can only say democracy is far away, and combined with the unelected EU figures, I don't think the situation in Thailand is really that bad.

 

"Does HRW also have comments on...."

 

Yes they do. Just follow the links to the countries you are interested in:    https://www.hrw.org/

 

Do you think being the best of a bad lot is good enough?

[heybruce]

20 hours ago, steven100 said:

exactly ,   as I commented earlier ....who the hell listens to what those clowns say   ??

As was mentioned earlier, lots of people and governments.  I'm sure the junta is listening and will have an indignant reply soon.

[brucec64]

exactly ,   as I commented earlier ....who the hell listens to what those clowns say   ??

As was mentioned earlier, lots of people and governments.  I'm sure the junta is listening and will have an indignant reply soon.

Finally something we can all agree on. Generally nobody listens to clowns.

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Thechook]

On 20/01/2018 at 2:24 PM, Becker said:

All people who're not sad sycophants enamored with military strongmen.

 

PS. As I'm a very helpful guy I will post a useful link for you. Please note buddy that Air Asia's sale ends soon so your ticket out of Thailand should be booked ASAP. 

Remember; it's only a matter of time before the Shins are back in control and the junta leader is relegated to the scrap heap of history!

https://www.airasia.com/en/home.page?cid=1

The junta probably already has a house on standby abroad.  I think all thai leaders have a backup plan ready to execute