Relatives of political activists appeal to the National Human Rights Commission for help

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Relatives of political activists appeal to the National Human Rights Commission for help

By The Nation

 

Activist Siam Theerawut/ picture: PRACHATAI

 

Relatives of three political activists who were reportedly deported from Vietnam are to seek assistance from the National Human Rights Commission and other international organisations Monday to locate their whereabouts.

 

The activists, Chucheep Chiwasut, Siam Theerawut and Kritsana Tupthai, were said to be in custody upon their return from exile in Vietnam but nobody has been to confirm this. 

 

Human right defenders last week urged Thai authorities to be clear about their fate. “We call on Thai authorities to acknowledge if they are in military or police custody and establish their whereabouts. If they are in state custody. we urge the authorities to ensure that the three men are held in an official place of detention and have immediate access to independent lawyers, doctors and family members,” said Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Global Operations, Minar Pimple.

 

“We also call on authorities to either charge them with a recognisable criminal offence in line with international standards or release them from custody, and not penalise them for their exercise of the right to freedom of expression,” Pimple added.

 

Their relatives will submit their appeal to the national human rights body as well as to Vietnamese Embassy and European Union delegation office in Bangkok.

 

Chucheep is a radio disc-jockey and political activist, who regularly broadcast political commentary to Thailand from exile. Reports do not indicate whether the three were transferred to Thai authorities from Vietnam through a formal deportation or extradition procedure. He has long outstanding charges of lese-majeste against him.

 

It is believed that both Siam and Kritsana also have criminal complaints against them under Article 112 of the Penal Code.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30369271

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-13

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Families, friends of missing lese-majeste trio  seek help from NHRC, EU and Vietnam Embassy

By The Nation

 

 

The families and friends of three missing Thai political refugees on Monday submitted letters to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Vietnam Embassy and the European Union Delegation in Bangkok after the Thai authorities denied having any knowledge of their whereabouts.

 

The group, led by Siam Theerawut’s family, asked the three bodies to help follow up the situation, since there had been no updates from the Thai authorities despite the fact that it is believed that lese-majeste suspects Siam, Cheep Chivasut and Kritsana Thupthai had been deported from Vietnam to Thailand last Wednesday.

 

At the NHRC’s head office, the letter was received by human-rights commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit. 

 

The group asked the NHRC to help find out whether the trio had indeed been deported from Vietnam and where they were being detained, as well as ensure that their human rights were respected.

 

Angkhana told the family that if it was within the NHRC’s authority, her agency would summon the Foreign Ministry and the Office of the Attorney General to make inquiries.

 

The family also submitted a letter to the Vietnam Embassy, inquiring whether the refugees remained in the Vietnamese authorities’ custody or had been deported and, if so, how and when.

 

An official at the embassy said only that it would contact the family if there were any updates.

 

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, which facilitated submission of the letters, said the letter submission on Monday had been followed and interfered with by Thai Special Branch police the whole time.

 

As lese-majeste suspects, Siam, Cheep and Kritsana fled the country after the 2014 coup, when crackdowns on anti-monarchist elements were prevalent.

 

On Tuesday, the group will also submit a complaint with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Bangkok.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30369342

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-14

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