Statement about Thailand 26th Meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Committee (unofficial translation)

26th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Geneva, Switzerland

Oral Statements under agenda item 2: Updates by the High Commissioner

High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay
I am also disturbed by the military coup in Thailand, including suspension of constitutional guarantees of human rights and detention of former government members and political activists. I urge the military authorities to respect democratic values and the country’s human rights obligations.

Greece on behalf of EU
The EU shares your concerns regarding developments in Thailand. Thailand must urgently restore the legitimate democratic process and the Constitution, through credible and inclusive elections. We urge the military leadership to free all those who have been detained for political reasons and to remove censorship. We call on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms must be upheld.

UK
The UK is concerned at the deterioration of the democratic environment in Thailand. We call for a swift return to democracy through open and transparent elections, consistent with the will of the Thai people and international human rights law. We urge all sides to refrain from violence and call on the UN to continue to monitor the situation.

Montenegro
Turning to Thailand, my delegation has been following political developments there with concern and welcomes the roadmap announced leading to the holding of general elections and the return of democracy soon.

Switzerland
Comme vous, la Suisse est préoccupé par le coup d’Etat militaire en Thaïlande et ses conséquence : en particulier les déténtions arbitraires de membres des principaux partis politiques, d’académiques, et des défénseurs de droits de l’homme, sont inquiétantes. Les personnes arbitrairement déténues doivent etre liberées ; la Suisse rappelle que certains droits de l’homme et liberté fondamentales sont indérogables, même après que l’état d’urgence a été déclaré. (My unofficial translation : Like you, Switzerland is concerned by the military coup in Thailand and its consequences: in particular the arbitrary detentions of the members of the main political parties, academics, and HRDs are worrying. Persons arbitrarily detained must be released; Switzerland recalls that certain human rights and fundamental freedoms are non-derogable, even once a state of emergency has been declared.)