UN High Commissioner For Human Rights Pouilly: Thailand

UN High Commissioner For Human Rights Cécile Pouilly: Thailand

We are concerned that the amnesty bill being discussed this week in Parliament, if adopted, could pardon people involved in serious human rights abuses during the political violence in April and May 2010.

At the time of these incidents, over 90 people died and thousands were injured. On 6 July 2010, the Government established the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) that issued a final report containing serious and substantive findings backed by forensic evidence and recommended urgent action to ensure accountability for human rights abuses.

We reiterate the previous call by the High Commissioner for the Government to act on the TRCT’s recommendations and ensure that state officials and others are held to account for their role in serious human rights abuses. This would set an important precedent for Thailand.

We call upon the Government to ensure that any amnesty excludes those who are responsible for human rights violations and to take steps to prosecute perpetrators of such violations.

ENDS

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