Don't mention the 'torture': Human rights event blocked
Report details 74 cases of alleged torture of detainees, in the far South & political activists by soldiers & police, free download online.
Report details 74 cases of alleged torture of detainees, in the far South & political activists by soldiers & police, free download online.
HUMAN RIGHTS, TORTURE, MILITARY & POLICE
Don't mention the 'torture': Human rights event blocked
28/09/2016
Ariane Kupferman-Sutthavong
An Amnesty International seminar on torture and other abusive practices in Thailand was to be held on Wednesday but was closed down by authorities.
The report on torture in Thailand covers the situation nationwide over the past two years.
Report details 74 cases of alleged torture of detainees, in the far South and political activists, at the hands of Thai soldiers and police.
The event may have been shut down, but the free report is trivial easy to download here.
The Thai government has prepared a draft law to criminalise torture and so-called "enforced disappearances" or "forced disappearances" (read about new law here).
In international human rights law, a forced disappearance "occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organization or by a third party with the authorisation, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person's fate and whereabouts, with the intent of placing the victim outside the protection of the law" (see here).
Human rights activist Yuval Ginbar talks to reporters after authorities blocked a press conference organised by Amnesty International to release a torture and abuse report on Wednesday. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)
WHAT HAPPENED AT REPORT LAUNCH?
Yuval Ginbar, a human rights activist based in London was supposed to join on stage with Rafendi Djamin, director of South East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, and Laurent Meillan, Officer in Charge, United Nations Human Rights Office for Southeast Asia.
It turned out that if the representatives of Amnesty International spoke at this event they could be arrested and prosecuted under Thai immigration laws.
Authorities who blocked the seminar claimed that the foreign speakers did not have work permits, so the seminar could not be held.
About seven police arrived at the Sukhumvit hotel where the event was booked at about 9am, half an hour before it was to begin.
Would the report launch have received as much news coverage and publicity as it did, if the government had allowed the small event to proceed.
Would a less heavy-handed approach been more effective?
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1096940/govt-blocks-amnesty-forum-on-torture-abuse
สามารถฝึกอ่านออกเสียงและดูคำแปลได้ที่ : http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/1097212/dont-mention-the-torture-human-rights-event-blocked
