UN raises concerns about Thailand’s attitude toward human rights activists

By The Nation

 

File photo : Antonio Guterres//EPA-EFE

 

Thailand is among 38 countries named by the United Nations for having an alarming and shameful attitude towards human rights defenders. 
 

The ninth annual report of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres detailed retaliatory actions taken against human rights defenders on a country-by- country basis, including allegations of killing, torture, arbitrary arrests and public stigmatisation campaigns.

 

Cases in Thailand mentioned in the report included the intimidation of Maitree Chamroensuksakul, a Lahu indigenous human rights defender, and Sirikan Charoensiri, a member of the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

 

Maitree was subjected to harassment and death threats after he met Michel Forst, a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, on May 27, 2017. Forst was on a visit to Thailand at the time. 

 

Maitree met him to seek justice for Chaiyaphum Pasae, a 17year old Lahu youth activist who was shot dead by military personnel on March 17, 2017 during an alleged antidrug operation in Ban Kong Phak Ping village.

 

Two days after Maitree met with the special rapporteur, police from Provincial Region 5 and Chiang Mai – armed with a warrant issued by Chiang Mai Provincial Court – conducted a joint large-scale raid on Ban Kong Phak Ping village, supposedly to search for drugs. 

 

The authorities searched nine houses, including Maitree’s, while he was not at home. Two of his family members were arrested and charged with drug possession, and both were denied access to a lawyer during their interrogation.

 

Meanwhile, Sirikan was charged with allegedly giving false information regarding a criminal offence. The UN raised concerns that the charges she faced – sedition and gathering five or more people for political purposes – under the criminal code may be directly linked to her cooperation with the UN, particularly her participation in the 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council in September 2016.

 

Sirikan had represented 14 student activists arrested for participating in peaceful protests in June 2015, following the 2014 coup.

 

She was charged with refusing to comply with the junta order. In 2016, upon returning from a UN Human Rights Council meeting, she was further charged with sedition.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30354428

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-14

3 hours ago, webfact said:

she was further charged with sedition.

that is a real problem, they define sedition as anything they want

Going to pass commenting on this one for fear of being arrested...

Going to pass commenting on this one for fear of being arrested...

I’ll pass on clicking like on this post siting the same concern.

And anyone takes any notice of the UN?

Thailand 'having a shameful attitude towards human rights defenders.'

 

Says it all really, doesn't it?

 

Edited September 14, 20187 yr by Eligius

Thailand and Mynmar are the only 2 ASEAN representatives in this UN 'reprisal and intimidation' list. The junta should be proud to be linked with Mynmar in ASEAN and be listed globally with China and Russia for human rights abuses. Prayut please take a bow. You brought nothing but shame to the country. 

They shouldn't just limit those concerns to human rights activists....

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is among 38 countries named by the United Nations for having an alarming and shameful attitude towards human rights defenders. 

Military paranoia and lily-livered leaders are to blame. They are protecting their golden goose the best way they know how. To quote:

"........killing, torture, arbitrary arrests and public stigmatisation campaigns".

Now can we please see some meaningful "retaliatory action by the talking shop called the UN against the junta's "shameful" retaliatory action against human rights activists who dare put their heads above the parapet?

 

Don't hold your breath. It could be a long wait.

Their concerns for the image of Thailand in the wider world, seem to be with regard to the tourism industry only. 

2 hours ago, KMartinHandyman said:

I’ll pass on clicking like on this post siting the same concern.

You should be arrested for your sense of humour   ?  ?   ?

No comment for fear of arrest !

No, no, no. Someone will speak to the UN and it will be concluded this was all just a big misunderstanding. In fact, I'm sure we will hear from a local official that the UN are actually mega impressed with Thailand's human rights record and want to use it as a model. 

7 hours ago, KMartinHandyman said:

I’ll pass on clicking like on this post siting the same concern.

No l click and speak. I never let these morons dictate to me. Never under any circumstances 

10 hours ago, Eligius said:

Thailand 'having a shameful attitude towards human rights defenders.'

 

Says it all really, doesn't it?

 

.....and some are just taking notice?

Hmmm.....

Unfortunately UN has morphed from an active force into a collection of useless bureaucrats on an early pension since Hammarskjöld was shot down. Useless bunch, no teeth.

Human Rights. 

 

Whatever that is.