Final ruling pending on official’s appeal in Rohingya trafficking case
Songkhla Provincial Court has scheduled for Thursday a reading of the Supreme Court decision on a case involving a Rohingya trafficking victim.
According to the Court of First Instance’s conviction, which was upheld by the Court of Appeal, a former member of the Satun Provincial Administration Organisation was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison for conspiring in human trafficking act.
The conviction also refers to a conspiracy of two more persons, including a person holding an official position, to bring people into the country illegally.
The victim was awarded compensation of Bt126,900.
The offence took place on March 10, 2014 when officials from Immigration Office 6 rescued a Rohingya person at Hat Yai Bus Terminal in Songkhla.
Authorities had been informed that the victim’s relatives were going to pay Bt60,000 to ransom in exchange for the victim’s freedom.
The case also led to an expanded investigation and the arrest of a group of traffickers in Songkhla and Satun.
More information is available from the Human Rights and Development Foundation.