Dear friends,
We wish to share with you the following statement from the Human Rights and Legal Assistance Center for Those Affected from Political Turmoil (HLAC) regarding Mr. Somyot Boonngamanong and the appeal for his release from unlawful detention on 8 July 2010.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
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A Statement from the Human Rights and Legal Assistance Center for Those Affected from Political Turmoil (HLAC) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission
THAILAND: Lawyers for Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong maintained that his detention was unlawful and filed an appeal for his release
For Release — 8 July 2010
Statement No. 4
On 8 July 2010, Lawyers for Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong maintained that his detention was unlawful and filed an appeal for his release
On 8 July 2010, at 11 a.m., lawyers for Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong, who has been detained under the Emergency Decree on Government Administration in States of Emergency B.E. 2548 (2005) (Emergency Decree), filed an appeal at the Criminal Court at Ratchada. The appeal is against an order made by the court on 2 July 2010, which denied Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong’s petition for release and ordered that he be detained for an additional 7 days. The court made this order based on their assessment that his detention was lawful.
In response, the appeal filed by his lawyers has asserted the reasons and facts of why his detention is unlawful. The appeal also asserts that Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong’s actions were the use of his rights and freedom guaranteed in the Constitution. He lawfully exercised his rights in the position of one citizen, and in the spirit of one human who was unable to withstand seeing the persecution and killing of his fellow humans.
The background to this case is that on 21 May 2010, the Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest and detention of Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong, the leader of the Sunday Wear Red Group, human rights activist, social activist, and former founder and president of the Mirror Foundation. Then, on 26 May 2010, Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong was arrested and detained without charge. On 29 June 2010, Mr. Sombat appealed and challenged his detention and asked for release, on the basis that his detention was unjust and unnecessary. On 29 June 2010, with the assistance of Mr. Arnon Nampha and Ms. Pawinee Chumsri, lawyers who were provided by the Human Rights and Legal Assistance Center for Those Affected from Political Turmoil (HLAC), Mr. Boonngamanong filed a motion against his detention and requested release. On 2 July 2010, the court denied Mr. Sombat’s request for release and ordered that he be detained for an additional 7 days.
At this time, Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong is still detained under the Emergency Decree at the Border Patrol Police 1st Region Command Office, at Klong 5, in Pathumthani Province. This is the 13th day of his detention.
For more information, please contact HLAC:
1. Mr. Arnon Nampha, 084-1404243 (Thai)
2. Ms. Pawinee Chumsri, 083-1896598 (Thai/English)
ADDITION INFORMATION:
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released an urgent appeal to urge Thai government to release Mr. Sombat Boonngamanong without delay, please see AHRC-UAU-029-2010. Further information on Mr. Sombat’s case, may be found at: AHRC-UAC-089-2010, AHRC-FPR-036-2010, UA-270-2007.
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