Rights groups upset over 'torture case'
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In a rare move, three major human-rights groups yesterday jointly criticised Thailand for denying redress to an alleged victim of torture from the deep South.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (AI) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) issued a joint statement calling for the military-led government to comply with its international human-rights obligation to provide remedies and reparation to victims of torture or other ill-treatment.
On October 7, Pattani Provincial Court ruled that Hasan Useng, an alleged victim of torture and other ill-treatment by the state, was not entitled to judicial remedies and reparations under Article 32 of the Kingdom’s 2007 Constitution because the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) terminated the charter after the May 22 coup.
The petition was filed by Hasan Useng’s sister on May 2, before the coup took place, however. The allegation involved Hasan Useng being taken to the Inkhayuth-aborihan Military Camp in Pattani in April where “military personnel allegedly kicked him and ordered him to do several hundred push-ups and jumping jacks on the hot concrete with his bare feet”.
The ICJ’s legal and policy director, Ian Seiderman, said: “The ruling is inconsistent with Thailand’s obligations under international law to prohibit torture or other ill-treatment and to provide victims with effective remedies and adequate reparation.”
The groups added that the court’s oral judgement made no reference to Thailand’s international legal obligations.
