UN Urges Thailand to Make 'Forced Disappearance' a Crime
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer


Activists mark the 11th anniversary of the abduction of human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit in Bangkok, 12 March 2015.

BANGKOK -- The Thai government should take decisive and sustained efforts to tackle the problem of enforced disappearance, said Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“All of the families of those who have disappeared have the right to know the truth regarding the disappearance of their kin, as well as any progress and the results of investigations,” said Zeid, in a statement issued from Geneva on Jan.6.

The High Commissioner also called on the government to criminalize enforced disappearance, of which there are currently at least 82 cases, including human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit, in line with international standards.

The statement cited the latest ruling by the Supreme Court in the case of missing lawyer Somchai. On Dec. 29 last year, the Supreme Court upheld a decision by the Appeals Court to acquit five police officers accused of involvement in the abduction and disappearance of Somchai.

Somchai, who was active in defending the rights of Thai-Malay Muslims in the deep south, disappeared in March 2004.

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1452162655

-- Khaosod English 2016-01-07

The High Commissioner also called on the government to criminalize enforced disappearance

Jeez! you mean that it is not currently a crime in Thailand?

Words fail me....

Differentiate for me enforced and unenforced disappearance...

Father's home.

Differentiate for me enforced and unenforced disappearance...

Not hard I wouldn't think...

5 coppers forcing a troublesome lawyer into a car in the middle of BKK in front of many witnesses, I reckon that would tick the forced disappearance box especially as he has never been seen or heard of since

Problem is we see travesties of justice here so often they lose their power to shock and produce action...

New TAT slogan: 'Thailand, hub of travesties...' I think it has a ring to it and at least it is more honest than most of their other efforts

Edited January 7, 201610 yr by mark131v

"Forced disappearance" = kidnapping ?