Condemned officers, two others freed on bail
Play
Five policemen convicted of killing a teenage boy as part of a government crackdown on narcotics during the first Thaksin Shinawatra government were yesterday granted temporary releases on bail.
Bail was set at Bt1 million for each policeman, and they are restricted from going abroad.
Three were sentenced to death, one to a life term and one for seven years. Criminal Court chief justice Thawee Prachuablarb said although the sentences were death penalties and a life term, a presiding judge could grant releases based on his own judgement and the convicts’ indicating they would not flee.
Meanwhile, international rights groups have cheered the convictions in the extra-judicial killing cases, according to Deutsche Presse Agentur.
“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, from the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
The Bangkok Criminal Court handed down the death penalty on Monday for the three senior police sergeant-majors in the murder of Kiattisak Thitboonkrong, 17, in 2004 at the peak of a government-declared “war on drugs.”
The sergeant-majors’ commander, Pol Lieutenant Summit Nunsathit, was sentenced to life in prison for premeditated murder and Pol Colonel Montri Boonlue received seven years for abuse of authority for protecting his subordinates.
Kiattisak, who was found hanged in his cell, was one of an estimated 2,800 people killed during the crackdown on drug trafficking in 2003-2004.
“There were more than 20 murders allegedly linked to this police group,” Sunai said. Monday's convictions were the most serious sentences against police officers for abuses during the crackdown, which earned Thailand widespread criticism among human rights groups.
Amnesty International, however, criticised the death sentences, which the group opposes in all cases.
