Rights groups cheer Thai cop convictions in extrajudicial killing

"This is an important step for the court to convict this group of police officers, who have been known for many years for their scary record on human rights violations," said Sunai Pasuk, the Thailand representative for New York-based Human Rights Watch.

 

The Bangkok Criminal Court handed down the death penalty Monday for three police sergeant majors in the murder of Kiattisak Thitboonkrong, 17, in 2004 during the peak of a government-declared "war on drugs."   The sergeant majors' commander Police Lieutenant Summit Nunsathit was sentenced to life in prison for premeditated murder and Police Colonel Montri Boonlue received seven years for abuse of authority for protecting his subordinates.

 

Kittisak, who was found hanged in his cell, was one of an estimated 2,800 people killed during the Thai crackdown on drug trafficking in 2003-2004.

 

"During that time, there were more than 20 murders allegedlylinked to this police group," Sunai said.//DPA