Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward an appeal from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR).
For more information, please contact:
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights
109 Soi Sitthichon Suthisarnwinichai Rd.
Samsennok, Huaykwang Bangkok 10310
Thailand
Tel: +6696-7893172 or +6696-7893173
E-Mail: tlhr2014@gmail.com,
Website: http://www.tlhr2014.com/
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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THAILAND: Sirikan ‘June’ Charoensiri Faces Ongoing Judicial Harassment
Ms. Sirikan Charoensiri, ‘June’, is a human rights lawyer working for Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) as a legal and documentation specialist. On 3 November 2016, she reported to the Dusit District Prosecutor’s Office in Bangkok to hear the prosecution’s orders of her offences. They are refusing to comply with an order of a competent officer and concealing evidence. She was charged under Sections 142 and 368 of the Thai Criminal Code. The prosecutor, having received additional information from the investigation of witnesses and evidence from the police, decided to postpone the meeting for the fourth time. Ms. Charoensiri will report to the public prosecutor to hear the prosecution’s orders at 9.30 am on 17 January 2017 at the Department of Summary Litigation 3 (Dusit) in Bangkok.
According to the prosecutor, the police had finished the additional investigation of two witnesses and returned the case file to the office. Earlier, the prosecutor had ordered the police to call additional witnesses for investigation and submit the case file by 31 August 2016. It was later postponed to 30 September. Ms. Charoensiri had previously listed five witnesses: two members of the New Democracy Movement (NDM)—her clients, Ms. Yaowalak Anuphan—Head of the TLHR, an inquiry officer who received Charoensiri’s complaint of malfeasance in office, and herself. However, only two NDM activists, Mr. Rangsiman Rome and Ms. Chonthicha Jaengrew, were called. Having received further information on the case, the prosecutor stated he needed more time for consideration, and rescheduled a meeting at the Dusit District Prosecutor’s Office in Bangkok.
Note that this is the fourth postponement of Ms. Charoensiri’s hearing of prosecution orders in this case. The first hearing was set for 12 May 2016. It was rescheduled for 27 July 2016. Later, the meeting was postponed to 29 September 2016. Today, November 3, 2016 it was postponed again to 17 January 2017. This case has been under the public prosecutor’s consideration for more than six months.
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
