UNHRC Communication report on Thailand situation – May 2015

On 2 June 2015, the United Nations Human Rights Council published a communication report that the UN Special Procedures made to Governments on allegations of human rights violations based on the information that the Special Procedures have received.

The Special Procedures is a generic term which refers to independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to look at thematic human rights issues or country-based human rights situations. Special Procedures are mandated to raise concerns on allegations and possible human rights violations directly with the Governments in the form of official letters known as ‘communications’. These letters are sent directly to Governments concerned through the Permanent Missions in Geneva. This communication report is made public ahead of the 29th Session of the Human Rights Council (which is to take place from 15 June to 3 July 2015).

The report contains three communications that the Special Procedures made to the Royal Thai Government (from 1 December 2014 to 28 February 2015) on the following cases:

1) Alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of, an charges against 21 individuals in relation to article 112 of the Criminal Code (also known as lese-majeste law) and article 14 of the Computer Crime Act.

The communication by the Special Procedures is available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/29th/public_-_UA_Thailand_08.12.11.14_(13.2014).pdf

The reply by the Royal Thai Government is available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/28th/Thailand_10.12.14_(13.2014).pdf

2) Allegations of continued detention, torture and ill-treatment of approximately 350 individuals, claiming to be Turks in various immigration detention centres.

The communication by the Special Procedures is available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/29th/public_-_UA_Thailand_12.02.15_(1.2015).pdf

The reply by the Royal Thai Government is available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/29th/Thailand_17.02.15_(1.2015).pdf

3) Allegation of threats against, incommunicado detention, attempted killing and killings of several environmental and land rights defenders in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi, Phattalung, and Surat Thani Province

The communication by the Special Proceudures is available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/29th/public_-_UA_Thailand_19.02.15_(2.2015).pdf

The replies made by the Royal Thai Government are available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/29th/Thailand_24.02.15_(2.2015).pdf and https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/29th/Thailand_02.04.15_(2.2015).pdf

In addition to these three communications, the Royal Thai Government also provided a reply to a communication issued by the Special Procedures concerning the alleged attempted killings and intimidation of Ms Nurainee Uma, a paralegal at the Muslim Attorney Center in Yala Province.

The communication is available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/29th/Thailand_02.04.15_(2.2015).pdf
The reply by the Royal Thai Government is available at: https://spdb.ohchr.org/hrdb/28th/Thailand_09.10.14_(4.2014).pdf

The full communication report, which will cover all the communications issued by the Special Procedures globally, is available at: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session29/Pages/ListReports.aspx (under A/HRC/29/50 Communcation report of the Special Procedures).