CONCEPT NOTE 6TH ANNIVERSARY DISAPPEARANCE OF SOMCHAI NEELAPAIJIT 12 March 2010 Chula Nareumit House, Chulalongkorn University Bangkok
Theme A short event on 12 March 2010 to commemorate the 6th anniversary of the enforced disappearance of prominent Thai human rights lawyer, Somchai Neelapaijit and to highlight the failure of Thai justice system in providing truth and reparation to the victims of the case, as well as to call for protection from any future enforced disappearance in Thailand. Background Somchai Neelapaijit has been missing since 12 March 2004, when he was last seen in Bangkok being forced into a car with a group of men. At the time of his disappearance, he was Chairman of the Muslim Lawyers Association and ViceChairman of the Human Rights Committee of the Law Society of Thailand, and was representing five Muslims accused of terrorism-related activities in Thailand’s southern border provinces. Although Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced the Government’s intention to ensure swift and meaningful progress in investigations and to bring to justice the perpetrators of Mr. Neelapaijit’s enforced disappearance, no substantial progress has been made in the case, which was accepted as a special case by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) since July 2005. Somchai Neelapaijit’s fate remains unknown and no one has been held accountable in final judgment for the crime of his enforced disappearance. Meanwhile, key witnesses to the case and their families have been subjected to intimidation and threats, and continue to worry on a daily about their safety. On 12 January 2006, the Criminal Court convicted a senior police officer of coercion and assault – but not of the enforced disappearance itself – and was sentenced to three years imprisonment despite evidence presented at trial indicating that a more serious crime has been committed. Pol. Maj. Ngern Thongsuk of the Crime Suppression Division was released on bail pending his appeal. It was subsequently
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