Dear Nu Toon

Amnesty keeps its stance and requests the Thai authority to investigate the murder case of Chaiphum Pa Sae with neutrality after there has been a report that Amnesty was not concerned about such issue. Amnesty International still maintains its stance claiming the Thai authority to investigate the case of “Chaiphum Pa Sae”, a Lahu young activist who was shot dead by a soldier on 17th March, independently and neutrally. In addition, Amnesty requests that those involved should be brought into the justice system if there is the violation of human rights of the witnesses and villagers, and Chaiphum’s family must be safe from any form of intimidation or threat. All of these requests are in accordance with the official statement given by Amnesty to the Thai authority on 21st March 2017 with details as follows: 1) to investigate independently and neutrally with a clear conclusion for the cause of murder, 2) to bring the people involved into the justice system in case of violation of human rights, 3) the investigation agency must be free from those related to this incident, 4) the witnesses, villagers and Chaiphum’s family must be free from any form of intimidation or threat, 5) the witnesses being controlled in prison must be released if found not guilty and during the wait of being released, they must have the right to meet their attorney, relatives, NHRC and other relevant agencies. Amnesty once again emphasizes its requests to be complied with by the Thai authority.

An internationally mandated fact-finding mission to look at human rights violations in Myanmar is welcome, urgently needed and long overdue, Amnesty International said today.

Amnesty International has found that freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Hong Kong is being threatened after the police submitted the summon warrant to several leaders of the “Umbrella Revolution” in order to claim for democracy in 2014 to report to the police for charges. 

Asst. Prof. Chidchanok Rahimula, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus and Mrs. Piyanuch Kotsan, Director of Amnesty International Thailand signed the cooperation to promote knowledge and understanding about human rights for one year.

The President of the Philippines is traveling to Thailand during 20-22 March, but many people barely know who he is and why Thai people need to care about him. Today, Amnesty will get you to know “Roa Duterte” and his scandals.

Thai authorities must promptly order an independent and effective investigation into the killing of a youth activist by security officers and ensure that those responsible are held accountable if any human rights violations contributed to his death, said Amnesty International.

Amnesty International provides this submission to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee (the Committee) in advance of the examination of the second periodic report of Thailand at the 119th session of the Committee scheduled for March 2017. The submission features information in relation to Amnesty International’s research on torture and other ill-treatment as well as restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of United Nations (UNOHCHR) in association with the Thai civil society and civil rights network including Amnesty International broadcast the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Review (ICCPR) live, which Thailand is one of the 169 member countries. Thailand was to be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Commission during 13-14 March 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Champa Patel, Acting Regional Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Amnesty International, revealed, “in the ASEAN region, there are few governments that can be proud of their human rights situation, while in many countries, many women are standing up to show their bravery and face various forms of danger in order to fight against the injustice”. 

Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) regret the decision of Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to further delay the passage of essential legislation criminalizing torture and enforced disappearances. Our organizations call on the Thai government to cease its stalling measures and instead prioritize the amendment of the Draft Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act (Draft Act) in order to bring it into line with international law. The government should then ensure its passage into law without undue delay.

Amnesty International welcomes the 10 March vote by Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED). This is an important step towards combating enforced disappearances and securing truth and justice for victims, including family members. Amnesty International urges authorities to avoid further delays in ratifying the treaty and to eunsure that its obligations to prevent and protect against disappearances become a domestic reality.