Protests grow in Myanmar against Thai beach murder verdict

[webfact]

Protests grow in Myanmar against Thai beach murder verdict

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Hundreds of people in Myanmar protested for a fifth day Tuesday against death sentences issued in Thailand to two Myanmar men convicted of murdering a pair of British backpackers, but who are seen by many here as scapegoats.

The Thai Embassy in Myanmar said its consular section will be closed for the entire week due to the "unexpected and prolonged demonstrations" that make it hard to access the entrance.

A Thai court last week sentenced Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin to death for the murders of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, whose bodies were found on the Thai island of Koh Tao on Sept. 14, 2014. Witheridge had also been raped.

Both men say they are innocent and that police tortured them to force them to confess.

Protests have also been staged at border crossings, and over the weekend Myanmar's powerful and influential army chief called for the case to be reviewed. The sentiment was echoed on the streets of Yangon on Tuesday.

"We do not believe justice was served by the Thai court. We are asking them to review the case," said Nay Myo Wai, a nationalist politician who supports the Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha, which led the protest.

"We intend to fight for justice for the two Myanmar men in Thailand," said U Pamaukka, a senior monk and Ma Ba Tha member.

Protesters threatened to call for a boycott of Thai goods if the courts refused to review the case, saying that the two men did not deserve the death sentence in a case that has raised many unanswered questions about police conduct.

Police rushed to solve the crime, under intense pressure to limit negative publicity to the tourism industry, but instead drew widespread criticism of their investigation. They were criticized for not properly securing the crime scene, conducting more than 200 random DNA tests, releasing names and pictures of suspects who turned out to be innocent, mishandling crucial DNA evidence from the victims and allegedly torturing their prime suspects.

The two Myanmar migrant workers, both 22 years old, were arrested about two weeks after the murders. Police said they confessed to the crimes, but both later retracted their statements and said police had used a variety of psychological and physical torture to force them to confess to crimes they didn't commit.

Over the weekend, Myanmar army chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing urged Thailand to "review the evidence" that led to the convictions to "avoid a situation in which the innocent ... were wrongly punished," the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported on its front page Sunday.

His statement was widely seen as a message from Myanmar's leadership.

It drew an angry reply from Thailand's military ruler, who responded with a rhetorical question.

"They have the right to appeal, don't they?" Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha was quoted as saying by Thai media Tuesday. "Isn't this the same legal practice all over the world?"


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-12-30

[bangkokheat]

if only the tables could be turned and let the arrogant do the suffering

[aRobotnamedWAR]

if only the tables could be turned and let the arrogant do the suffering

they will. they all will.

[webfact]

Koh Tao verdict protest in Yangon



YANGON: -- Around 500 protesters, including monks from Buddhist nationalist organization Ma Ba Tha, gathered in Yangon on Tuesday to voice their opposition to the death sentence handed down to two Myanmar migrants by a Thai court last week, The Irrawaddy reported.

Protests in Yangon have been ongoing since Friday, the day after a Koh Samui Court sentenced migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo to death for the killing of two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge, on Koh Tao in September 2014.

Tuesday’s event, held at a football stadium in Thaketa Township, opened with a nationalist song, with lyrics that referenced the country’s sovereignty and freedom, before a senior Ma Ba Tha figure, U Pamaukka, addressed protesters.

The monk denied the well-known Buddhist nationalist group organized the demonstration, claiming those gathered were simply patriots who had come together to fight for justice in the case of the two accused Myanmar men.

“The Thai Prime Minister spoke at a press conference yesterday and mentioned that our country asked to review the case. But he told the press conference that his government could not do this. For us, we condemn his speech,” he said.

Many attendees on Tuesday held photographs of the two Myanmar men, banners of support or pictures of Thailand’s revered king.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/koh-tao-verdict-protest-in-yangon


-- Thai PBS 2015-12-30

[than]

It's remember me protest in France for freed Florence Cassez (convict for abduction and sequestration in Mexico) and Serge Atlaoui (convict for drug in Indonesia)

[Tomtomtom69]

It's remember me protest in France for freed Florence Cassez (convict for abduction and sequestration in Mexico) and Serge Atlaoui (convict for drug in Indonesia)

That probably wasn't a big protest.

Us Aussies were outraged about the Sukumaran and Chan executions. Tony Abbott and the rest of Parliment begged for forgiveness, but to no avail. Diplomatic ties were downgraded and tensions took over a month after the executions to finally ease. It was all over the news.

[sweatalot]

"Police rushed to solve the crime, under intense pressure to limit negative publicity to the tourism industry, but instead drew widespread criticism of their investigation. They were criticized for not properly securing the crime scene, conducting more than 200 random DNA tests, releasing names and pictures of suspects who turned out to be innocent, mishandling crucial DNA evidence from the victims and allegedly torturing their prime suspects."

They forgot to mention, that police did nothing to research the well known main suspects

[Srikcir]

“The Thai Prime Minister spoke at a press conference yesterday and mentioned that our country asked to review the case. But he told the press conference that his government could not do this."

Of course not, otherwise it would suggest that there is no separation between the judiciary and executive branch.

But maybe the Myanmar military knows about NCPO's Article 44 that allows Prayut to hold absolute power over the Thai judiciary system?