No figures on civilians being tried by Thai military court

[webfact]

ESTIMATED 700
No figures on civilians being tried by military court
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION

NCPO clueless while other groups estimate the number to be up to 700

BANGKOK: - AT THE heart of the fierce debate over whether civilians should face a military tribunal under martial law is the mystery and disagreement on the exact number of civilians who are being tried in military courts since the coup last May.

Critics of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) have placed the figure at somewhere between 108 to 700, while NCPO spokesperson Colonel Winthai Suvari simply said the junta has no clue.

"The NCPO doesn't know [the figures]," Winthai told The Nation on the phone yesterday, adding that perhaps the police or the Judge Advocate-General's Department may have the figures. The Nation was not able to get any figures from either of the two organisations mentioned by Winthai as of press time, though a source from the Judge Advocate-General's Department said the figure should not be as high as 700. The source also said the numbers have to be collected first to come up with a tally.

Winthai, however, was quick to say it's "impossible" for the number to be as high as 700, as insisted upon by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday.

" Human Rights Watch seems to be on the opposite side of the military," Winthai said, adding the NCPO only arrests people and it is the police who forward some of the cases to military court under martial law, which is why the NCPO has no specific figures.

The NCPO spokesperson tried to count the number of civilians who are being tried in military court and managed to come up with only a few names.

HRW senior Thai researcher Sunai Phasuk said the figure of 700 facing military tribunal was reliable, but refused to publicly name the source.

"Sorry [we] can't answer that. Have to protect our source," he replied.

He also added that the number of civilians being tried by a military tribunal has been increasing "almost like [an] assembly line", adding the military court system "is being stretched" as a result.

"This secrecy is a cause for alarm for human-rights abuses under martial law," Sunai stressed.

Yingcheep Atchanont, project manager at iLaw, a local NGO advocating legal reforms and citizens' legal rights, said that at least 108 civilians were facing a military tribunal as of yesterday. Yingcheep said the real number is most definitely higher, as the figures his organisation had compiled came from press reports, attending military court trials of known civilians and head counts provided by a group of human-rights lawyers. He said there were bound to be cases that did not get reported in the news or were not known to the organisation's network.

Asked if he thinks the NCPO ought to reveal the actual figure to the public, Yincheep said absolutely.

"I think it's very crucial to have such figures. The NCPO should reveal all the names of [civilians] facing military courts as well as the total figure of those who have been summoned to have their attitude adjusted."

An enquiry with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was also fruitless, as commission member Niran Pitakwatchara said it has no specific totals.

Niran said the NHRC, which is against trying civilians in military courts under martial law, is concentrating on the qualitative side of the issue.

He added, however, "not even one [civilian] should face a military tribunal".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/No-figures-on-civilians-being-tried-by-military-co-30256300.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-19

[Somtamnication]

Hint: We are under military rule. Transparency is as clear as a mountain of <deleted>.

[NeverSure]

They should ask Costas. Surely he knows of the human rights abuses and can name those who have had attitude adjustments and who are being tried at gunpoint.

[NongKhaiKid]

NCPO CLUELESS, that says so much about so many other issues too.

[tbthailand]

oooooh, the clown car has gotten rolling again this morning!

" Human Rights Watch seems to be on the opposite side of the military," Winthai said,

And Colonel Winthai, did you ever take half a second to reflect on why that might be??

Jokers, reeeeeaaaaallllll jokers.

Have a great day ... and remember to bring 'happiness' to someone...

[ldiablo]

As with everthing else in regards to this so called government, they have no clue.

[LuckyLew]

I am not buying this, they know exactly how many .... but refuse to make it known to the public ... matter of national security 555

[kannot]

they dont know how many followed by its not 700...........Thai logic, they either do or dont know

[oneday]

"...while NCPO spokesperson Colonel Winthai Suvari simply said the junta has no clue..."

Well, I guess that sums it up folks...they have no clue.

[Emster23]

Maybe in future years there will be demonstrations about "the disappeared" as in Chile? Rather large range 108-700 ya think? I wonder how el leader would react if questioned about this at press conference.....

[h90]

As with everthing else in regards to this so called government, they have no clue.

That would make them fit in perfect with all the previous governments since 2000

[kevvy]

Costas is the man, next year he will win the vote on Thai visa .

[Anthony5]

They should ask Costas. Surely he knows of the human rights abuses and can name those who have had attitude adjustments and who are being tried at gunpoint.

Going from Costas posting style regarding the junta, I get the feeling that he was one of the first who enjoyed an attitude adjustment.

[tbthailand]

The real point coming out of this article is that the military should just stop civilian trials in military courts right now. Period.

[rubl]

The real point coming out of this article is that the military should just stop civilian trials in military courts right now. Period.

In your opinion, that is.

My opinion is that there should be more openness in who is charged and tried in Military Courts and with what offence. Furthermore the NCPO should consider lifting the Military Law partially (if possible within the law) or gradually province-wise.

Of course the idea that maybe the NCPO doesn't want to get involved in the Military Courts regarding handling of civilians is a wee bit too far-fetched for some.

As some remarked the number of civilians possibly being tried in Military Court quoted as between 108 to 700 suggests that the critics don't have a clue just like Col. Winthai.

[englishoak]

Dont tell me they havnt a clue how many, theres paperwork in triplicate for everything.

Citizens tried in military courts is disgusting and needs to stop ASAP

[tbthailand]

The real point coming out of this article is that the military should just stop civilian trials in military courts right now. Period.

In your opinion, that is.

My opinion is that there should be more openness in who is charged and tried in Military Courts and with what offence. Furthermore the NCPO should consider lifting the Military Law partially (if possible within the law) or gradually province-wise.

Of course the idea that maybe the NCPO doesn't want to get involved in the Military Courts regarding handling of civilians is a wee bit too far-fetched for some.

As some remarked the number of civilians possibly being tried in Military Court quoted as between 108 to 700 suggests that the critics don't have a clue just like Col. Winthai.

well of course it is 'in my opinion'... and IMO you also have a knack for stating the obvious...

but this point is not only my opinion... even Thailand's NHRC takes the same position, and that is saying something for them...

Niran said the NHRC, which is against trying civilians in military courts under martial law, is concentrating on the qualitative side of the issue.

He added, however, "not even one [civilian] should face a military tribunal".

as for more openness, iLaw goes further and says there should be complete transparency - not just 'more' - iLaw also points out that the number of people summoned (or 'invited' as the 'PM' would say) is also completely unknown.

"I think it's very crucial to have such figures. The NCPO should reveal all the names of [civilians] facing military courts as well as the total figure of those who have been summoned to have their attitude adjusted."

And if you were to read the article carefully, then you would know that a range regarding the number of civilians being tried in military courts does not, as you state, suggests that the critics don't have a clue just like Col. Winthai.

But congratulations on spreading your own FUD on the issue.