Amnesty International: Human Rights Report 2015-16

Restrictions on media & political gatherings, military courts for civilians, lese majeste, attitude adjustment sessions & forced disappearances, all ways dissent silenced in the name of security, says Amnesty International.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Amnesty says government suppressing rights

25/02/2016
Ariane Kupferman-Sutthavong & Patsara Jikkham

Amnesty International released its annual human rights report Wednesday.

The report documents the state of human rights in 160 countries and territories during 2015.

The full report can be downloaded in PDF format here & here.

Read the Foreign Ministry response here.

SILENCING DISSENT IN THE NAME OF SECURITY

The report found that in Thailand military authorities extended their powers in the past year, excessively restricting rights and silencing dissent in the name of security.

The report called for Thai authorities to restore freedom of expression and assembly rights, as well as drop charges against human rights defenders and activists who take part in peaceful campaigns.

"The number of people harassed, prosecuted, imprisoned and arbitrarily detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights escalated sharply," the report said.

RESTRICTIONS ON MEDIA & POLITICAL GATHERINGS

In Thailand, since the May 22, 2014 coup, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has censored critical voices through restrictions imposed on the media and bans on political gatherings, Amnesty International Thailand chairman Chamnan Chanruang said.

Furthermore, the number of activists facing criminal charges for sedition rose sharply in the past year.

These include 14 New Democracy Movement activists and members of the Resistant Citizen group.

MILITARY COURTS VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

As civilians being tried in military courts, they are also denied access to a fair judicial process, Mr Chamnan argued.

Amnesty International has repeatedly called for authorities to put an end to the practice, which violated international human rights standards.

FORCED DISAPPEARANCES

Mr Chamnan also called for authorities to continue investigating cases of forced disappearances (enforced disappearances).

This includes high-profile cases such as human rights lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit and Karen land rights activist Porlajee "Billy" Rakchongcharoen (or cases from the past that most people may have already forgotten about such as labour leader Thanong Pho-an (or Thanong Pho-arn) see here, here & here).

LESE MAJESTE LAW

The international NGO also raised concerns regarding the secrecy surrounding the judicial process in lese majeste cases in the country.

Section 112 of the Criminal Code -- the lese majeste law -- does not allow for the defendant to seek bail.

The military courts which decide on many such cases also tend to give longer sentences than civilian courts, Mr Chamnan added.

In one case in 2015, a sentence of 60 years was imposed on one defendant.

He argued the law should be amended, to prevent it from becoming abused as a tool to harass or cause people harm.

Under the lese majeste law, anyone can file a lawsuit against the defendant, while in most criminal cases, only the damaged party is allowed to do so.

Since members of the royal family themselves cannot lodge complaints with the courts, Mr Chamnan suggested that a special committee be created instead.

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT SESSIONS

More than 100 people have been arbitrarily detained by the military for so-called attitude adjustment sessions.

Some have been called in repeatedly.

They still have their rights restricted until this day, due to agreements they had to sign with authorities for their release, he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/875532/amnesty-says-government-suppressing-rights

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