Three independent agencies cancelled their scheduled forum on “Access to Justice in Thailand: Currently Unavailable” on Tuesday under pressure from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
Sutharee Wannasiri, a campaign coordinator for Amnesty International in Thailand, told The Associated Press that soldiers had phoned more than 30 times on Monday, requesting the event be called off “because the situation is still not normal”.
Pawinee Chumsri, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, holds up the official letter with the order, directing the cancellation of the event at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand. The event cancelled by the ruling military National Council for Peace and Order, was titled ‘ Access to Justice in Thailand: Currently Unavailable’. — EPA
Several participants showed up regardless on Tuesday at the planned venue, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT), “to read out a statement saying that there were threats and harassment from the military”, Ms Sutharee said.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), Amnesty International and the Cross Cultural Foundation planned to hold the seminar on Tuesday at the FCCT on Phloenchit Road.
According to Isra news agency, the 1st Cavalry Squadron, King’s Guard, sent a letter to TLHR asking for their cooperation in cancelling the event, saying it would go against the junta’s policy of maintaining peace and order in Pathumwan district. Phloenchit Road is in Pathumwan.
“If there are complaints from the people who have problems accessing justice and expressing their views at this time, or if they have suggestions on our human rights work, they can contact the Ministry of Interior’s Dhamrongtham Centre and the Inspection and Grievances Bureau,” the letter said.
Anon Nampa, a TLHR representative, said his organisation needed a better explanation from the NCPO, before agreeing to postpone or cancel the seminar.
However, Pawnee Chumsri, a human rights lawyer, said the organisers had reluctantly decided to comply with the military’s demand.
Isra news agency reported that TLHR now planned a presentation about the human rights situation in the country 100 days after the May 22 coup.
The seminar’s key participants included Cross Cultural Foundation director Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Yingcheep Atchanont of Internet Dialogue on Law Reform (iLaw), and Sam Zarifi of the International Commission of Jurists. Sunai Phasuk of Human Rights Watch was the event’s moderator.
TLHR later issued a statement saying the human rights presentation would be an attempt to shed light on obstacles to access to justice in the aftermath of the coup, adding that it was not a political gathering.
“TLHR has been established to receive complaints and provide legal aid to detainees, and we are simply performing our duties as lawyers and human rights activists. Given that martial law is still imposed and it provides draconian power to the officials, an effort to monitor the situation and disseminate information to society is therefore indispensable.
“The right to freedom of expression is a fundamental human right enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Thailand is a state party and is obliged to observe.
“After all, the NCPO has been telling the press that it respects human rights principles. Section 4 of the 2014 Interim Constitution written by NCPO itself provides for protection of human dignity, rights, liberty and equality of all Thailand people in accordance with the constitutional practice in the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of the State and any existing international obligations should therefore be respected as per the constitution. Any attempt to prevent a public event to discuss about human rights from happening is a gross violation of such rights and liberties.
“Apart from being a direct intimidation to lawyers and rights activists, the attempt by the military authorities to ‘ask for cooperation’ to cancel or postpone the event and the reiteration that if the organisers decide to press ahead with the event, they shall face prosecution for violating the NCPO Announcement which bans any political gathering, will also perpetuate the climate of fear in society and will lead to further infringement of human rights and the chance the affected families shall be accorded with justice and remedies,” the statement said.
Below, the NCPO’s letter to the TLHR seeking the cancellation of Tuesday’s forum:
The army letter to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, asking for their cooperation in not holding a human rights forum.
By: Online reporters, Achara Ashayagachat and AP, Bangkok Post