Report on rights violations angers PM
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PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha responded angrily to a report from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which criticised the authorities’ dealing with suspects in certain cases.
The report, submitted to the Cabinet on Tuesday for acknowledgement, focused on the human-rights situation in the country under this post-coup government.
The NHRC reported that last year it had received 689 complaints of human rights violations, up by 78 from a year earlier. Of these, 174 complaints were related to judiciary proceedings.
Also, 26 complaints were against the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)’s use of authority, the report said.
The complainants told the NHRC that they had been taken from their homes to be detained in undisclosed locations, while others were summoned by the NCPO or tried in a military court even though they are civilians.
Prayut, in anger, rebuked the NHRC by writing on the report: “On what grounds did the NHRC make this judgement?
“The government has always been lenient with people who disturbed peace. But those people committed the wrongdoing repeatedly.
“Our country is different from other countries. Is there equality among our people? Who got the government and the NCPO involved in making changes?
“Did they use their good judgement? If they still have the same view, then they would be better living overseas.”
However, Government Spokes-man Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd yesterday maintained that Prayut did not comment about the NHRC report at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
