UPDATE (Thailand): Wife of missing human rights lawyer intimidated 

[RE: FA-06-2004: THAILAND: A human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit missing; UA-94-2004: THAILAND: Severe torture victims still in custody while police torturers remain in posts; UP-14-2004: THAILAND: Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit is still missing and the police may be involved in his disappearance; UP-26-2004: THAILAND: 5 suspects in the alleged abduction of missing human rights lawyer Mr. Somchai Neelaphaijit bailed out; UP-20-2005: THAILAND: Human rights lawyer still missing after nearly one year; Action needed today to have case transferred; UP-24-2005: THAILAND: Thai minister refuses to act on missing human rights lawyer case; UP-37-2005: THAILAND: Thai PM orders action on missing human rights lawyer, while court hears of torture]

Dear friends,

Further to our last update on the case of the human rights lawyer Mr Somchai Neelaphaijit, who was abducted over one year ago (UP-37-2005), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply disturbed to report that his wife has been intimidated by suspected intelligence officers or other state agents.

According to the information we have received, yesterday morning, April 18, Ms Angkana Wongkrachain (a.k.a. Angkana Neelaphaijit) had a telephone call from a man whose voice she recognised as that of a government intelligence officer. He asked about her interventions in the United Nations on the case of her missing husband. Additionally, two weeks ago an unidentified man came to talk to her and warn her against high-profile advocacy on her husband’s case, such as going on television or making other public statements.

The AHRC is very concerned by these incidents, which are clearly directed towards intimidating Ms Angkana from continuing with her initiatives to hold the government of Thailand accountable for the disappearance of her husband. We urge you to send a letter to the Minister of Justice of Thailand calling on him to make a public commitment to the protection of Ms Angkana and her family. A sample letter follows.

ADDITIONAL NEWS AND COMMENTS

Last week Ms Angkana submitted a formal complaint about her husband to the UN Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances, with the assistance of the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), the AHRC’s sister organisation, and the Thai Working Group on Human Rights Defenders (ALRC-PL-37-2005). Yesterday the ALRC also read a statement on her behalf to the UN Commission on Human Rights (ALRC-PL-39-2005). Earlier it submitted a written statement on the case to the Commission (E/CN.4/2005/NGO/34) and referred to the case in detail in a significant report to the UN Human Rights Committee, ‘Institutionalised torture, extrajudicial killings and uneven application of law in Thailand’. It is clear that together these and other initiatives are making the authorities of Thailand uncomfortable, as they are usually concerned to protect their international image. At present an important UN conference on crime prevention is also going on in Bangkok, and this will have added to the discomfort of the authorities.

Meanwhile, there has been no further progress reported in the case of Mr Somchai, despite the fact that the prime minister of Thailand appointed two of his deputies to follow the case.

OTHER RESOURCES ON THE CASE AND FORCED DISAPPEARANCES IN THAILAND

Together with the Thai Working Group on Human Rights Defenders, the AHRC released a Thai-language booklet on the disappearance of Mr Somchai marking 365 days since he went missing. A postcard can be downloaded and sent to the Prime Minister also, in English and Thai. Copies of the booklet and postcard can be obtained by contacting the working group or the AHRC.

To see our previous appeals on this case please visit FA-06-2004, UP-14-2004, UP-26-2004, UP-20-2005, UP-24-2005, and UP-37-2005.

Please also see a recent statement on a new proposed centre for missing persons in Thailand: AS-33-2005.

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please send a letter without delay to the Minister of Justice of the government of Thailand calling for guarantees of protection to be given to Ms Angkana and her family.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER