Amnesty urges the government to hunt Tak Bai’s defenders Punished by October 25. Emphasize: Don’t let criminals go unpunished.

Amnesty has also published Basic information indicating that on 25 October 2004 more than 2,000 protesters gathered in front of the Tak Bai Police Station. The province of Narathiwat which is a region of the southern border has demanded the release of six Malay Muslim men who they believe have been arbitrarily detained by the Thai authorities.

In the protest rally officers used tear gas. High pressure water gun and live bullets As a result, 7 protesters died instantly, 5 of them were shot dead. After the rally was disbanded authorities moved around 1,370 Malay Muslim men to Ingkhayytoriharn Camp. Pattani Division 150 kilometers away, they were forced to sleep on top of each other in an armored truck. As a result, 78 people died of compression or suffocation during the journey. Many of the survivors were seriously injured and some were permanently disabled.

An independent committee will investigate the facts of the death in the Tak Bai area incident. which was established by the government at that time He has criticized the use of excessive force and negligence in transporting detainees. Even though compensation has been paid to the victims But the officials named as responsible according to the committee’s opinion have not yet been investigated.

In August 2024, the Narathiwat Regional Court approved the request of victims and their families to file criminal charges against officials suspected of being responsible for human rights violations during the Tak Bai protests. This includes former police officers and high-ranking soldiers.

Of the 9 officers who were charged, the court found that there was enough evidence to arrest seven officers on charges of deliberate murder, attempted murder and illegal detention. Although there is a summons But none of the seven officers appeared at the Narathiwat Regional Court for the examination of witnesses and examination of evidence. The court then issued arrest warrants for the seven, including those believed to be in Japan and the United Kingdom.

In a related but separate case, on September 18, 2024, the Attorney General’s Office indicted eight security officers involved in the transfer of detainees on charges of premeditated murder. This is different from cases filed by victims. In this case, the defendant was a low-ranking officer. And none of the defendants in this case appeared in court either.

The statute of limitations in this case expires on October 25, 2024, requiring at least one defendant to appear in court to answer the charges. This will allow the search process to begin. This is in accordance with Section 95 of the Criminal Procedure Code However, Amnesty International noted that there should be no statute of limitations for serious human rights violations or crimes under international law, such as extrajudicial killings and torture. In October 2023, Amnesty International published a report on the impact of the Thai authorities’ failure to provide justice to the victims of the violent crackdown on protests in Tak Bai District and their families.