Home » The launch of report on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in Thailand’s Deep South

The launch of report on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in Thailand’s Deep South

The launch of report on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in Thailand’s Deep South

On 10 February 2016, a public discussion was organized to launch a 120-page-report compiling the interviews of 54 victims of torture and articles on how to prevent torture. A collaboration of three organizations, the Duay Jai Group, the Patani Human Rights Network and the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF), the report is derived from direct interviews conducted with victims of torture relying on the questionnaire designed based on the investigation protocol provided for in the Istanbul Protocol.

During 2014-2015, the study team has compiled 54 cases concerning the torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by government officers or at their acquiescence, 15 of which took place in 2015, 17 in 2014 and the rest 21 during 2004-2013. All of the victims are Malay Muslim Thais

During 2012-2014, the team used to conduct another 92 cases of torture and made the report available in English (the Thai version was not made available publicly). It was then submitted to the UN Committee Against Torture in April 2014. Then, the Committee recommended that Thailand act to address and prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by the officers. Still, torture continues and its number has not declined. There was even an increase of complaints received during 2014-2015, the latest of which was about the death in custody of Mr. Abdullayib Doloh on 4 December 2015.

“It is not the intent of the report to discredit the performance of security officers in Thailand. It has stemmed from that after revealing to the authorities many times about the problem and after a series of press release and reports, things do not seem to change. The launch of this report will simply bring to the attention of all parties concerned, particularly those at the policy making level, that torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in the Deep South continues unabated. We are calling for security agencies involved with the arrest, detention and interrogation of suspects to immediately refrain from using torture. And the government should bring to justice those officers involved with the practice to ensure that justice is served for the victims and their families. Otherwise, there shall be deteriorating fallouts toward any attempt to solve the unrest in the Deep South” said Somchai Homlaor, as a member of the editors.

Previously on 8 January 2016, the report has been submitted to General Aksara Kerdphol, the new chief negotiator for the peace talks as directly designated by Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Prime Minister and General Wiwat Pathompak, the Fourth Army Region Commander and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). There is currently no progress as to any attempt to investigate the cases raised in the report.

For more information, please contact Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Tel. 02-6934939