NRC panel to help political detainees of last decade
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THE NATIONAL Reform Council's panel on reconciliation plans to assist people detained in connection with political cases arising from 10 years of political conflict, NRC member Boonlert Kachayudhadej said yesterday.
He said the panel had met with Department of Corrections director-general Withaya Suriyawong to consult with him over the move to bring about reconciliation through the justice system as the department was the last stop of the judicial system.
He asked Withaya for permission to visit political prisoners and detainees jailed across the country since 2005, with the director general agreeing to provide their names and whereabouts.
He said Withaya had told him the prisoners and detainees from the provinces were being detained at their hometowns.
Boonlert said the director-general was ready to support the panel in the process, although it would be up to each prisoner or detainee to decide if they wanted a visit.
Treatment will differ
Withaya also agreed that detainees in political cases were those who committed offences based on political motivation and ideologies and should be treated differently from those who committed other crimes.
Boonlet said the panel would on Tuesday visit the Department of Special Investigation and on Thursday visit the Supreme Court president to consult them about ways to bring about national reconciliation.
