Ban on police media shows & wiretapping
Police media shows portray suspects as criminals before the media & public, suspects sometimes not even charged & then released within days of being branded as criminals.
Police media shows portray suspects as criminals before the media & public, suspects sometimes not even charged & then released within days of being branded as criminals.
EDITORIAL: POLICE REFORM
Ban on police media shows & wiretapping
6/09/2016
It is often forgotten that one of the several titles assumed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in 2014 was chief law enforcement officer of the country.
He reminded everyone of that with two strong weekend decisions.
One bans the media shows staged by police every time they have a suspect in a high-profile crime, known as 'perp walks'.
Phurichakan Wongdee takes part in a crime re-enactment to show how he shot and injured Suwit Anannathichai as he was driving a car near Klong Toey market early on March 22. The victim's wife, Suwimol Kwan-on, who was previously married to Mr Phurichakan, was unhurt in the incident. Police said the shooting was motivated by jealousy.
The other, unrelated, is a welcome step backward from efforts to ram through a proposal that would let every police, military and security agency tap into any private communications, virtually without oversight, known as 'wiretapping'.
Both of these are welcome steps towards both recognising and protecting basic civil rights.
Action-packed crime reenactment with motorcycle accident.
WIRETAPPING
The proposed law to allow, if not strongly support wiretapping was a human rights abuse in the making.
As recognised a generation ago, wiretapping is almost never needed or helpful in actually solving or preventing crimes.
A complete rethink is needed here.
Recent police media show with crime reenactment featuring police officer with megaphone & actor playing part of victim with piece of paper taped to his back saying, "The person who lost his life."
PERP WALKS & POLICE MEDIA SHOWS
However, the Thai police version of the "perp walk" to celebrate a victory by law enforcement has grown way out of hand.
Police march mere suspects before the media, handing out details of their families.
Crime reenactment of a body disposal after a murder.
This has grown into such a spectacle that most of those shoved before cameras and reporters have not even been charged with a crime.
In many cases, the suspects are released within days of being branded as criminals.
In truth, police and the media have long been aware of the inherent cruelty and unfairness of these media circuses.
It is only because they have failed on both sides to meet their responsibility that the prime minister has acted.
Minburi Polytechnic College of Technology students suspected of an armed attack on students from a rival school in Min Buri which left four injured take part in a police reenactment. The suspects have allegedly admitted to firing a gun at the victims who were travelling on a No.131 bus. Pattanapong Hirunard
VIOLATION OF RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED
Gen Prayut issued the order to scrap these press conferences after he read and heard a recent report by the Rights and Liberties Protection Department of the Justice Ministry, presented to him by Tawatchai Thaikiew, the deputy permanent secretary for justice.
His report last week asserted that the police parades of suspected criminals violated their human rights.
In general, he is correct. All suspects have the presumption of innocence, no matter how strongly the police feel -- and no matter how strongly the public feels after seeing the press conferences.
National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda and all his commanders have the right to brag when they do a good job, but they have the duty to protect every person they detain and arrest.
Remorse is the feeling seen of the face of Phurichakan Wongdee takes part in a crime re-enactment to show how he shot and injured Suwit Anannathichai as he was driving a car near Klong Toey market early on March 22. The victim's wife, Suwimol Kwan-on, who was previously married to Mr Phurichakan, was unhurt in the incident. Police said the shooting was motivated by jealousy.
PROTECTING SUSPECTS, WITNESSES AS WELL AS VICTIMS
Indeed, the Royal Thai Police, in order to be professional, must insist on protecting suspects and witnesses as zealously as they are supposed to protect and serve victims of crimes.
Pol Gen Chakthip and Pol Gen Dechnarong Sutticharnbancha, a police adviser, said they were awaiting the premier's orders, which will come in due course.
High-ranking police officers orchestrating crime reenactment media spectacle, albeit even before suspect has been put on trial & found .
It would be better, however, if the Prime Minister's Office, the Justice Ministry and police invited media representatives to discuss the new guidelines. All share a duty to protect the rights of suspects. But all share a second duty to inform the public of steps taken to fight crime, including successes in tracking criminals and placing them safely in custody to await trial.
According to aides, Prime Minister Prayut appeared inclined to ban all appearances by all suspects at police press conferences. There should be some leeway built into this protection.
For example, some suspects, strongly claiming innocence, should have the right to request to appear at the media events.
One of the most famous crime scene reenactments of them all was the reenactment of the Bangkok bombing.
MEDIA RESTRICTIONS
It should be remembered that until recently, the down-market press openly photographed and printed details about the victims of crimes, even children and abused women.
The media is capable of adapting to reasonable rules, so long as it can fulfil its duty to keep the public informed, especially about high-profile, anxiety -causing crimes.
Cambodian suspects in attacks on tourists on Koh Kut; Inset: Locals attacked suspects during crime re-enactment for their alleged attacks on tourists Jakkrit Waewkraihong
Cambodian fishing boat worker suspects re-enact their alleged attacks on tourists on Koh Kut. Jakkrit Waewkraihong
Sometimes crime scene reenactments use mannequins or "store dummies" rather than the people, as in this murder and body disposal (see above) reenactment.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1079352/perp-walks-out-of-hand
http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/advanced/1058797/warrantless-wiretaps-police-seek-new-powers
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