A civil society network has said that although Thailand ratified the Convention against Torture almost a decade ago, the situation regarding torture in the country has hardly improved. The mother of one victim, whose son was tortured to death, said that authorities did not even let her see her son before his death.
On Wednesday, 29 June 2016, the Civil Society Network for Peace and a group of people whose family members were either killed or injured as a result of torture by agents of the state filed a petition reporting the situation regarding torture in Thailand to Laurent Meillan, the Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Thailand.
According to the petition, although Thailand ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), in 2007, reports by civil society continue to show that most cases of torture were either perpetrated or condoned by state authorities, demonstrating that Thailand is failing to comply with the CAT. The network, therefore, urged the UN to review Thailand’s human rights situation.
Bunrueang Suthiraphan, whose son was tortured to death by the authorities, said that her son, Corporal Kittikon Suthiraphan, was arrested on 1 February 2016 for sheltering a suspect. She requested bail but the military court denied the request. She continually tried to visit her son starting 6 February, but authorities repeatedly refused her, saying that her son was under investigation.
The last time she tried to visit her son was on 20 February, and was again refused. The next day, an officer called her to tell her that the corporal had already died.
“They [the authorities] never told me anything. They never told me if my son was sick or injured, just kept saying that I couldn’t see him since he was under investigation. Even on the last day before his death, they didn’t tell me anything,” said Bunrueang.
Civil Society Network for Peace and the group of people, whose family members were either killed or injured as a result of torture done by state authorities, read the petition to media at UN Bangkok headquarter
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