Home » Urge Royal Thai police commission to promptly investigate a missing case Fadel Sohman

Urge Royal Thai police commission to promptly investigate a missing case Fadel Sohman

Urge Royal Thai police commission to promptly investigate a missing case After 3 months no progress on whereabouts Mr. Fadel Sohmah

From the released and complaints to a number of agencies that Mr. Fadel Sohman was abducted and went missing since 24 Jan 2016. According to Information from Muslim Attorney Center Foundation, Pattani that Mr. Fadel Sohman that on Sunday 24 January 2016, around 11.00am, he had left his home on a Honda motorbike, license plate Kor 670 Pattani to a private school. A black sedan with perpetrators turned right into the school and pulled over by a football field.

Three young men got off and ran toward the teachers’ room, about five meters from the parking. Two of them locked the arms of Fadel, one on each side and dragged him to the car. Another man was opening the door waiting. Witnesses saw Fadel being dragged and how he tried to resist it by holding on to the frame of the door. The other man helped to shove him by pushing his legs causing him to drop his shoes. Then, they just drove away.

According to our fact finding and interviewing relatives, we found that the family still is in search of his whereabouts. The family has reported to police and later on 25 Feb 2016 Police office of Napadu sent a letter stated that the missing case is under our investigation and will continue to the stage of limitation is overdue.

Cross Cultural Foundation has found that the incident of his abduction and missing was suspicious. Mr. Fadel is a former detainee who was acquitted by Pattani provincial court however, even since he and his family members are in close vigilance of authorities. In July 2015, he reported himself to authority and he was detained for 7 days. Before he went missing he told his family that between 17-23 Jan 2016 he had to stay with military officers for 7 days. Then on 24 Jan 2016, he went missing.

The abduction of Mr. Fadel in broad daylight in a public space has caused much fear among the local people who feel gravely concerned about their safety. The Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF) makes the following recommendations to the Thai government and concerned authorities:

The Royal Thai Police Commissioner who is directly in charge of all criminal investigations is obliged to seriously and promptly investigate the missing case of Mr. Fadel. There is a credible allegation that a person has been disappeared and should make an effort to investigate the allegation to shed light on the whereabouts of the disappeared. This should be done regardless if the act was allegedly carried out by a government officer or another person. A rigorous effort by the authorities to receive the complaint and investigate the case will help act as a deterrent against the act of enforced disappearance. The act of enforced disappearance is one of the most heinous crimes and it warrants a prompt, independent and effective criminal investigation.
The government and the Ministry of Justice should accelerate efforts to enact the Draft Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act in compliance with international standards. The act of enforced disappearance must be criminalized and the government should ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance without delay. This will set a legal precedent in Thailand as promised including before the international community and the UN.

For more information, please contact Pornpen Khongkachonkiet Tel. 086-7093000