Amnesty International Thailand activists gathered opposite the Embassy of The People’s Republic of China in The Kingdom of Thailand in order to lay flowers commemorating the passing of Liu Xiaobo, a human rights and democracy activist, prisoner of conscience and the first Chinese person who received the Nobel Peace Prize. Liu Xiaobo died of cancer on 13th July 2017 his imprisonment in China. The activists put white chrysanthemums in front of Liu Xiaobo’s portrait and held message sign encouraging his family.

Amnesty International submitted the letter to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand claiming the Thai authority to keep its stance in protecting human rights activists and promote their operations. On the occasion that Thailand will present the report on Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 at the United Nations (UN)

Responding to the news that Nobel Peace Prize Winner Liu Xiaobo has passed away, Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International commented:

Activists in more than 30 countries will join protests outside Turkish embassies today demanding the release of Amnesty International Turkey’s Chair and Director as well as other prominent human rights defenders behind bars amid a spiralling crackdown.

On the occasion of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Mr. Filippo Grandi’s visit to Thailand, Amnesty International joins 12 other organisations urging the Thai government to demonstrate its commitment to protecting refugees by ending abusive practices as well as instituting and implementing laws that guarantee the rights of refugees in Thailand. These rights should be guaranteed without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, nationality or national origin, or membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

South Korea’s military must immediately end a bigoted hunt to root out gay personnel, Amnesty International said, after a serving soldier was convicted of having a same-sex relationship.

A live broadcast on ‘E-jan’ facebook page allowed me to witness the minutes ‘Wa’, the scapegoat who was jailed over a wrongful murder, walked free from Ubonratchathani prison into the arms of his mother, wife, sisters, toddler daughter, practically his whole family.   He bent down to the ground in front of his mother to wai her (putting both his hands clapped together as a form of paying respect).  They cried while holding each other.  I couldn’t help crying as if this was happening to my own family.  Later, elder relatives and friends took turn to tie holy threads around his wrist, a ritual of the northeasterners of Thailand to express loving care and to give protection to the person.  They also sprinkled holy water collected from 9 temples to chase away bad omens.

On the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) – marked on June 26 as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture – Amnesty International (AI) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcome the commitments made by the Royal Thai Government to prevent torture and other ill-treatment and urge authorities to ensure no further delay in implementing these undertakings.

Gregory Porter, Hot Chip, Jessie Ware, Kate Tempest, The Naked and Famous, The National, Oh Wonder, POLIÇA and Zero 7 will be among a thousand musicians performing in people’s homes in more than 200 cities globally for a first-of-its-kind day of concerts to unite people in welcoming refugees, Amnesty International and Sofar Sounds announced today, marking World Refugee Day.  

“Refugee” is a person who is oppressed and risks persecution in their own country because of their race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or political views. They are therefore forced to leave their home to seek safety in neighbouring countries. They are often seen as ‘asylum seekers’ until they are recognized and gain refugee status from either the UNHCR or a government.

On World Refugee Day 2017, Amnesty International acknowledges the role the Royal Thai Government has played in hosting and supporting large refugee populations over several decades and welcomes its recent commitments to improve the protection of the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in the country. However, despite these undertakings, Thailand has failed to consistently protect the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, who lack domestic legal status in Thailand and are vulnerable to arbitrary and indefinite detention and forcible returns.

Albert Einstein