Thai Police Get Death Penalty In Drug War Killing

[Buchholz]

Rights groups cheer Thai cop convictions in extrajudicial killing

International human rights groups on Tuesday welcomed a Thai court's convictions of five policemen, three of whom were sentenced to death, for a 2004 extrajudicial killing.

"This is an important step for the court to convict this group of police officers, who have been known for many years for their scary record on human rights violations," said Sunai Pasuk, the Thailand representative for New York-based Human Rights Watch.

The Bangkok Criminal Court handed down the death penalty Monday for three police sergeant majors in the murder of Kiattisak Thitboonkrong, 17, in 2004 during the peak of a government-declared "war on drugs."

The sergeant majors’ commander Police Lieutenant Summit Nunsathit was sentenced to life in prison for premeditated murder and Police Colonel Montri Boonlue received seven years for abuse of authority for protecting his subordinates.

Kittisak, who was found hanged in his cell, was one of an estimated 2,800 people killed during the Thai crackdown on drug trafficking in 2003-2004.

"During that time, there were more than 20 murders allegedly linked to this police group," Sunai said.

-- The Nation 2012-07-31

[drdoom6996]

My bet: execution of the sentence will never happen.

Suspended sentence?

[Nip]

google ' strange fruit in kalasin " for the story

Just googled it, and the top hit is blocked by the govt. What a surprise.

So did I here it is;

Column: Rule of Lords: Strange fruit in Kalasin | Prachatai English

www.prachatai.com/english/news.php?id=462 - Cached

4 Jan 2008 – Officers of the Kalasin District Police Station in northeastern Thailand are alleged to have abducted and murdered dozens of people in the last ...

[pacovl46]

How about the killers of the other 1500 victims???

[Skywalker69]

How about the killers of the other 1500 victims???

How about the man ordering the killings???

[khunken]

Absolutely brilliant. It is a pity, however, that it takes so much involvement & protection from NGOs to counteract police intimidation.

I hope their sentences are reduced to life in jail as I'm sure that some of the other prisoners would love to 'entertain' police killers.

[MiguelDelgado]

Having spent a lot of time in Issan

i am shocked and sad that there was such evil by those that were meant

to uphold the law in the provinces. How could the thought patterns

and personal values of 5 such senior officers have

deteriorated there to this extent ?

Perhaps i am naive but i genuinely believed that Issan and it people

were simple and honest.

Members of the police force in Thailand and many other countries are not people but bastards who have no ethics and moral whatsoever. Look at their former chief, so what do you expect his subordinees to be like? 6 death sentences are good and I hope they will be executed publicly to show that the police is not always above the law!

[Thaddeus]

I'd be willing to bet that the death sentences are never carried out... they will be commuted when the fuss dies down. I'd be very surprised if any of the guilty police served more than a five year sentence, if that.

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they were sneaked out of a back door after a few days, spent a further 187 days in a not that afar country and then came back with different names.

The chance of seeing any pictures of these guys actually inside any sort of prison 12 months from now is almost zero.

[Buchholz]

I'd be willing to bet that the death sentences are never carried out... they will be commuted when the fuss dies down. I'd be very surprised if any of the guilty police served more than a five year sentence, if that.

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they were sneaked out of a back door after a few days, spent a further 187 days in a not that afar country and then came back with different names.

The chance of seeing any pictures of these guys actually inside any sort of prison 12 months from now is almost zero.

they're all out now, Thaddeus...including 3 awaiting the death penalty for conviction of premeditated murder

Condemned officers, two others freed on bail

The Nation August 1, 2012 1:00 am

Five policemen convicted of killing a teenage boy as part of a government crackdown on narcotics during the first Thaksin Shinawatra government were yesterday granted temporary releases on bail.

Bail was set at Bt1 million for each policeman, and they are restricted from going abroad.

Three were sentenced to death, one to a life term and one for seven years.

Criminal Court Chief Justice Thawee Prachuablarb said although the sentences were death penalties and a life term, a presiding judge could grant releases based on his own judgement and the convicts' indicating they would not flee.

Meanwhile, international rights groups have cheered the convictions in the extra-judicial killing cases, according to Deutsche Presse Agentur.

"This is an important step for the court to convict this group of police officers, who have been known for many years for their scary record on human rights violations," said Sunai Pasuk, from the New York-based Human Rights Watch.

The Bangkok Criminal Court handed down the death penalty on Monday for the three senior police sergeant-majors in the murder of Kiattisak Thitboonkrong, 17, in 2004 at the peak of a government-declared "war on drugs."

The sergeant-majors' commander, Pol Lieutenant Summit Nunsathit, was sentenced to life in prison for premeditated murder and Pol Colonel Montri Boonlue received seven years for abuse of authority for protecting his subordinates.

Kiattisak, who was found hanged in his cell, was one of an estimated 2,800 people killed during the crackdown on drug trafficking in 2003-2004.

"There were more than 20 murders allegedly linked to this police group," Sunai said. Monday’s convictions were the most serious sentences against police officers for abuses during the crackdown, which earned Thailand widespread criticism among human rights groups.

Amnesty International, however, criticised the death sentences, which the group opposes in all cases.

-- The Nation 2012-08-01

[beammeup]

I thought it was too good to be true. Just when you think there is a glimmer of hope...

[Reasonableman]

Another step closer to a failed state...

[otherstuff1957]

So, how long before the witnesses disappear or retract their testimony?

Or else, the convicted policemen will simply head for Cambodia!

[webfact]

please continue the topic:

Condemned police officers, two others freed on bail: Thailand

Full story:

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