OHCHR urges Thailand to release 14 students
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The United Nations Human Rights Office for South East Asia (OHCHR) Tuesday urged the Thai government to immediately drop criminal charges against students who have been arrested in Bangkok for peacefully demonstrating in public and release them from custo
The OHCHR also urged the junta to review its use of laws that limit freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in line with its obligations under international human rights law.
The 14 students were arrested in Bangkok for allegedly inciting unrest under section 116 of the Criminal Code.
“As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Thailand has the obligation to uphold the right to freedom of expression [article 19] and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly [article 21],” the OHCHR’s statement said.
“Although both articles allow the rights to be restricted, any restriction has to be by law, necessary for a legitimate purpose and proportional to achieve the need. OHCHR is concerned that criminal prosecutions for peaceful assembly and expression that carry long prison terms are not necessary or proportional.”
On May 23 2014, a day after the coup, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights publicly expressed serious concern about the restrictions on fundamental freedoms imposed by the NCPO, adding that freedom of expression and freedom of assembly are particularly important in resolving difficult political issues through dialogue and debate.
“Now more than one year on, despite pledges by the Government to promptly restore the rule of law, restrictions on fundamental freedoms remain in place,” the statement said.
