Unofficial translation of ISOC 4 press release dated on 8 May related to CrCF

Unofficial translation
(ISOC letter head)
Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 clarifies the torture allegation of Mr. Adil Samae

On May 8, 2014 at 10.00 A.M. Colonel Pramot Phrom-In, Chief of public relation Division and the spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, along with representatives of; the Royal Thai police in the Southern Border Provinces, the investigation team for important security cases of the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Center, Department of Army Rangers 41 and Dr. Ruski Che-Ae (Yala Hospital) jointly made a clarification on a complaint made by Miss Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, the Director of the Cross Cultural Foundation, on the torture allegation of Mr. Adil Samae.

Miss Pornpen has complained to the media and have sent an open letter to the General of the 4th Army/ the Director of Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 about an accusation that state officers have tortured Mr. Adil Samae during the arrest on May 26, 2014 at 12.30 P.M., which caused Mr. Adil Samae severe injury and became unconscious, and later on he was brought to Yala Hospital by his relative, who claimed that the hospital staff provided a medical certificate, proving that Mr. Adil was assaulted as it was mentioned in the complain appeared in the media.

Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 would like to make a clarification to create understanding by following statements:

1. The General of the 4th Army/ the Director of Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 has ordered Office of Human Rights Act and Forensic Division of ISOC Region 4 to conduct an investigation by inviting related units, including the para military (ranger force) in the Southern Border Provinces, the Royal Thai police force in the Southern Border Provinces, the investigation team for important security cases of the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Center, Department of Army para military TF 41 and Dr. Ruski Che-Ae, the doctor who conducted a medical checkup for Mr. Adil Samae, to clarified the truth as following;

1.1 The cooperation of officials from different units for the arrest mission included 4 operating groups, which consisted of 2 groups from Department of Army paramilitary unit TF 41, an investigation team from Yala Provincial Police Station and an investigation team from the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Center along with a group of female rangers. The arrest was conducted according to arrest procedures, starting from soft measures to hard measures with a respect to an obligation with the United Nations’ standard on the process of criminal justice, especially Convention against torture and Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. The officials carried on the mission politely with respect to law and human rights. Unlike what was mentioned in the complaint letter and there was no physical harm. And this is matched with the testimony given by Mr.Adil Samae in which he stated, “(I) was not tortured, but it happened due to stress, since I have been accused for being a part of the group who caused bombings Yala Municipality area on April 6-7, 2014. Finally, the stress led to convulsion.” Later on, an official called for an ambulance, bringing him to Yala Hospital. For the SIM card in his mobile phone, he intentionally took it out and asked his mother to keep and to hide it.

1.2 The result of the medical checkup by Dr. Ruski Che-Ae, who was on duty at the emergency room, Yala Hospital, on April 26, 2014, stated “ Epigastric Inflammation”. The doctor gave a further explanation that the result of the general checkup was normal. No symptoms of pain, swelling, redness, bleeding, or bruising of any kind. He also conducted a radiological examination (X-Ray) of Mr.Adil’s chest. No fracture was detected. No damage was founded at lung parenchyma. And no pneumothorax presented. Therefore, he described Mr. Adil’s condition as Epigastric Inflammation’’, which probably occurred because seizure symptoms caused by severe stress, not from any physical assault (X-Ray result). This is relevant to a result of a medical checkup performed at Songkhlanagarin Hospital on April 30, 2014 and May 1, 2014, which confirmed that, “no cuts, tears, or bruises were founded in any area of his body.” Therefore, the complaint that he was tortured until he loss his consciousness and that a hospital staff provided a medical certificate stating that he was physically assaulted, was not true.

1.3 During the detention at an interrogation unit, with in Para military taskforce no. 41, officials did a physical checkup on April 26, 2014 , the day of his arrival. The result proved that he was healthy. No wound and no bruise. During the detention he was treated well, and his relatives were also allowed to make a visit as usual. Mr. Adil Samae cooperated well during the interrogation Importantly, he confirmed that the officers did not torture him. Instead, his convulsion occurred because of stress. Currently, he has been detained lawfully at Police Detention in Yala province. It is not possible to release him as his detention is lawful and it will be alleged as omitting the duty.

2. The Cross Cultural Foundation is one of the NGOs that have been working in the southernmost provinces. The organization attempts to reveal mistakes made by state officers through the media and also reports them to international organizations without careful investigation even though it is capable to do so. This includes the case of Mr. Adil Samae in which CrCF intentionally distorts the truth. It causes damage to officers who dedicate and sacrifice themselves to enforce law. It also affects people’s trust in the power of the state and damages the credibility of the country at international level.

3. Therefore, Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 would like to call for CrCF to work with transparency, straightforwardness and accountable. CrCF should be responsible for its intention to distort the truth and to spread false statements to the public as it has occurred this time and also in the past. So, the society would not find its actions and intentions suspicious. ISOC Region 4 will maintain its important duty of enforcing law with justice, with respect to human rights and without degradation of human dignity. ISOC Region 4 is also ready to cooperate and to support missions of human rights organizations and their networks, who have honest intention to monitor the performance of state officers with transparency, fairness, and accountability.

I approve that this is a governmental document.
Colonel Pramot Phrom-In
(Pramot Phrom-In)
Cheif of Public Relation Division,
Internal Security Operations Command Region 4