Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned of a prominent human rights lawyer, Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit, who has been missing since 12 March 2004. It is alleged that the police have been upset with Somchai after he accused of excessive use of force against five of his clients accused of taking part in the January 4 raid on an Army camp in Narathiwat. Human rights activists in Thailand believe Mr. Somchai might have been abducted by state authorities.
Please send a letter to the Government of Thailand and request them to conduct a thorough inquiry into this matter and take speedy action for finding Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit.
To see our previous urgent appeals regarding this case, please visit: http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2004/637/
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
—————————————————–
UPDATED INFORMATION:
It is reported that Thailand Authorities admit that low-ranking officers may be behind Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit’s disappearance. Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Charnchit Bhiraleus did not rule out the possibility that the abduction could have been carried out by “low-ranking officers”. Human rights activists in Thailand believe Mr. Somchai might have been abducted by state authorities.
Mr. Somchai was last seen at the hotel before leaving for his brother’s house in Bang Kapi district on the night of 12 February 2004. He went missing after he said publicly that his clients were beaten, and asked court permission to have them medically checked and transferred from police hands.
It is alleged that the police have been upset with Somchai, following his allegations about excessive use of force against five of his clients accused of taking part in the January 4 raid on an Army camp in Narathiwat. A court has agreed to Somchai’s request that the five suspects be transferred from the Special Branch jail, where they were allegedly beaten, to Bang Khen Central Prison.
Pattani Senator Den Tohmeena told the Senate of “irregularities” in the police story of raid. He noted that Anuphong had confessed to police that he had hidden 100 stolen weapons at his home, but the police had not found or returned them, he said. It’s also unbelievable that a plot to raid the camp – in which police said some 200 people might have been involved – was planned over a single night at Najmuddin Umar’s residence, he said. On 23 March 2004, the Senate voted to form a special committee to follow Somchai’s disappearance. His case, they said, could have serious implications for the country’s judicial system.
Mr. Somchai’s car found abandoned on Ramkhamhaeng road in Mor Chit and its rear bumper showed signs of being hit. Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, deputy director of the Justice Ministry’s Central Institute of Forensic Science, inspected the car on 20 March 2004. She said she was confident Mr. Somchai was in an accident on the night of March 12 when he disappeared. Mr. Somchai had renewed his car insurance two weeks before his disappearance and had not demanded compensation for the damaged bumper. It could be assumed that the car accident had just occurred, she said.
AHRC is gravely concerned of the allegation of police officers’ involvement on Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit’s disappearance. AHRC strongly urge the Government of Thailand to conduct a thorough inquiry into this matter and take speedy action for finding Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or email to following addresses and express your concern about this serious case.
1. Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra
Prime Minister
Government house,
Pitsanulok Road, Dusit District,
Bangkok 10300
THAILAND
Fax: +66 2 282 8631
Email: govspkman@mozart.inet.co.th
2. Professor Saneh Chamarik
Chairperson
The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand
422 Phya Thai Road
Pathurn Wan District
Bangkok 10300
THAILAND
Fax: 662 219 2940
Email: commission@nhrc.or.th
3. Mr Pongthep Thepkanjana
Minister of Justice
Office of the Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice Building 22nd Floor
Jangwatana Road, Parkket
Nonthaburi 11120
THAILAND
Fax: +662 502 6699
4. HE Purachai Piumsombun
Minister of Interior
Ministry of Interior, Thanon Atsadang, Bangkok 10200, THAILAND
Tel: +662 224-6320/6341
Fax: +662 226-4371
Email: webteam@moi.go.th
5. Mr. Jahanshah Assadi
Regional Representative
UNHCR Regional Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
3rd floor, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Avenue, Bangkok 10120
THAILAND
Fax: (662) 280 0555; 281 6100
Email: assadi@unhcr.ch
6. Mr. Saied Rajale Khorasani
UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
C/o OHCHR-UNOG, 1211 Geneva 10,
SWITZERLAND
Tel: 41 22 9179830
Fax: 41 22 9176009
7. Ms. Hina Jilani
UN Sepcial Represetative of the Secretaary-General on Human Rights Defenders
C/o OHCHR-UNOG, 1211 Geneva 10,
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear
Re: The Government of Thailand should take speedy action to find Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit
I am writing to bring to your attention the disappearance of a prominent human rights lawyer, Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit. Mr. Somchai is still missing since 12 March 2004.
According to the information I have received, Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Charnchit Bhiraleus admitted the possibility that the abduction could have been carried out by “low-ranking officers”. It is reported that the police have been upset with Somchai after he accused of excessive use of force against five of his clients accused of taking part in the January 4 raid on an Army camp in Narathiwat.
Therefore, I strongly urge the Government of Thailand to conduct an independent and thorough inquiry about this matter. The Government of Thailand should bear the responsibility of Mr. Somchai’s disappearance and must take speedy action to find the whereabouts of Mr. Somchai.
Yours truly
—————————-
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
