Bring Light To The Court/Bringt Licht Ins Gericht

Because of the ongoing anti-government protests in recent months other problems in Thailand are more or less forgotten. For example, many political prisoners in Thailand remain are still behind bars, convicted for alleged violations of the lese majeste law or because of dubious terrorism charges. Interestingly, these prisoners are mostly reformers, human rights activists, intellectuals, labor activists or opponents of the conservative elites of this country.

Wegen der anhaltenden Anti-Regierungsproteste der letzten Monate sind andere Probleme in Thailand mehr oder weniger in Vergessenheit geraten. Zum Beispiel sitzen noch immer zahlreiche politische Gefangene in Thailands Gefängnissen ein, verurteilt wegen angeblicher Majestätsbeleidigung oder wegen dubioser Terrorismusvorwürfe. Interessanterweise handelt es sich dabei fast ausschließlich um Reformer, Menschenrechtler, Intellektuelle, Arbeitsrechtler oder Gegner der konservativen Eliten des Landes.

Especially during the protests in recent months the complete failure of the Thai justice became more and more obvious. The judges took unilaterally the side of the government's opponents. The decisions by several Thai courts during the past few weeks clearly showed the double standard by which the judges evaluate incidents.
Leaders and participants of the red-shirt protests in 2010 were accused and/or sentenced for alleged human rights violations, such as obstructing the traffic or denying the right to shop (no kidding - see also the report of the Thai Human Rights Commission: http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/08/18/human-rights-the-law-and-violence accused or convicted-in-2010 /) and for terrorism allegations.

Gerade bei den Protesten in den letzten Monaten zeigt sich deutlich, wie die thailändische Justiz vollkommen versagt und sich einseitig auf die Seite der Regierungsgegner stellt. Dieser doppelte Standard, mit dem die Richter Vorfälle bewerten, zeigt sich eindeutig in den Urteilen der letzten Wochen. 
Anführer und Teilnehmer der Rothemden-Proteste in 2010 wurden wegen Aufruhrs, angeblicher Menschrechtsverletzungen, z.B. Behinderung des Straßenverkehrs, Stören des Einkaufens (kein Scherz - siehe auch den Bericht der thailändischen Menschenrechtskommission: http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/08/18/human-rights-the-law-and-violence-in-2010/) und wegen Terrorismusvorwürfen angeklagt bzw. verurteilt.


On the other hand, charges against the PDRC leadership, eg for insurrection and attempts to overthrow the government, were rejected by the Constitutional Court, because in the opinion of the judges the protesters were just exercising their constitutional rights to protest and are just showing their dissatisfaction with the ruling government.
This is very strange, because all PDRC-speakers constantly call for the "eradication of the Thaksin-regime". They also declare every day on stage that they want to overthrow the "puppet government" of Yingluck Shinawatra. They just announced they will prevent any elections (which is a clear violation of the Constitution) from taking place until the election laws and the Constitution had been reformed in their favour.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/402406/pdrc-leaves-no-doubt-about-stand

Auf der anderen Seite wurden Klagen gegen die PDRC-Führung wegen Aufwiegelung zum Aufstand und zum Sturz der Regierung vom Verfassungsgericht abgewiesen, da es sich nach Meinung der Richter nur normale Proteste handelt, in denen Bürger ihre Unzufriedenheit ausdrücken. Ein Aufruf zum Sturz der Regierung sei nicht erkennbar.
Seltsam nur, dass alle PDRC-Redner ständig von der "Ausmerzung des Thaksin-Regimes" reden, den Sturz der jetzigen "Marionettenregierung" fordern und angekündigt haben, alle Neuwahlen zu verhindern, bis die Gesetze und eventuell auch die Verfassung in ihrem Sinne reformiert worden seien (http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/402406/pdrc-leaves-no-doubt-about-stand).


Although the PDRC and their supporters prevent people violently in exercising their constitutional right to vote, and although security guards of the PDRC apparently used violence (including abduction, detention, torture and alleged murder: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/398416/assault-case-puts-spotlight-on-pdrc), the Thai courts can see no wrong and see no need for action.

Obwohl die PDRC und ihre Anhänger die Menschen mit Gewalt am Wählen hindern und damit gegen die Vefassung verstoßen, obwohl Wachleute der PDRC bereits mehrfach durch gewalttätige Übergriffe (einschließlich Verschleppung, Gefangennahme, Folter und mutmasslich Mord) aufgefallen sind, können die Gerichte Thailands kein Unrecht erkennen und sehen keinen Handlungsbedarf.

This event in front of the criminal court in Bangkok on Friday evening, 28 March 2014, was initiated to raise awareness about these grievances, the one-sided interpretation of the law by Thailand's judiciary and the fate of political prisoners and their families. Participants and organizers included the LLTD (League of Liberal Thammasat for Democracy: https://www.facebook.com/lltd.tu), family members of prisoners, former political prisoners and artists of the theater group B-Floor (http://bfloortheatre.com/ensemble.html).

Auf diese Misstände und der einseitigen Rechtsauslegung durch Thailands Justiz sowie auf die Schicksale der politischen Gefangenen und deren Familienangehörigen wollte der Event am Freitagabend, den 28. März 2014, vor dem Strafgericht in Bangkok aufmerksam machen. Teilnehmer und Organisatoren waren unter anderem der LLTD (League of Liberal Thammasat for Democracy: https://www.facebook.com/lltd.tu), Familienangehörige von Gefangenen, ehemalige politische Gefangene sowie Künstler der Theatergruppe B-Floor (http://bfloortheatre.com/ensemble.html).

Bring Light To The Court/Bringt Licht Ins Gericht

Soldiers guarding the compound of the Criminal Court came out one by one and watched the performances and listened to statements. It seemed they were genuinely interested and not just spying.
Soldaten, die das Gelände der Gerichtshofes bewachten, kamen einer nach dem anderen raus um sich die Aufführungen anzusehen bzw. den Reden zuzuhören. Es schien, dass sie sich wirklich für die Veranstaltung interessierten und nicht nur spionieren wollten.

A student activist from the LLTD is answering questions after reading out a poem about article 112 (Lese Majeste Law).
Ein Aktivist der Studentenbewegung LLTD beantwortet Fragen, nachdem er ein Gedicht über den Artikel 112 (Gesetz gegen Majetätsbeleidigung) vorgetragen hatte.

The 85 year-old father of the political prisoner Ekachai Hongkangwan, who was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison.
Der 85-jährige Vater des politischen Gefangenen Ekachai Hongkangwan, der zu 3 Jahren und 4 Monaten Gefängnis veruteilt worden war.

On 28 March 2013, Ekachai Hongkangwan was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for allegedly violating Article 112 by selling CDs which contained an ABC Australia documentary and copies of WikiLeaks documents. He requested bail while he appealed the case, but this request was denied and he is currently behind bars at the Bangkok Remand Prison. (http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/3572)

Am 28. März 2013 war Ekachai Hongkangwan zu einer Haftstrafe von 3 Jahren und 4 monaten verurteilt worden, weil er angeblich den Artikel 112 verletzt habe. Sein Vergehen: er verkaufte CDs mit einer Dokumentation des australischen Fernsehsenders ABC und Dokumenten von WikiLeaks. Sein Antrag auf Freilassung gegen Kaution während des Berufungsverfahrens wurde abgelehnt. Er sitzt seitdem im Bangkok Remand Prison ein  (mehr Informationen zum Fall Ekachai unter: http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/3572 - nur in Englisch).

Statement (in Thai only) of former prisoner Thantawut Thaweewarodomkul. In March 2011 he was sentenced to 13 years in prison and was pardoned in 2013. His crimes: he allegedly was responsible for posting three messages on the internet which deemed offensive under Section 112 of the Criminal Code (lese majeste law). More information at: http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/2366

Rede (nur in Thai) des ehemaligen Gefangenen Thantawut Thaweewardomkul. Im März 2011 zu 13 Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt und und 2013 begnadigt. Sein Vergehen: er habe angeblich insgesamt drei Messages im Internet gepostet, die den Artikel 112 (Gesetz gegen Majestätsbeleidigung) verletzt hätten.
Mehr dazu (nur in Englisch): http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/2366

Labour activist Jittra Cotchadet and blogger and political activist Nithiwat Wannasiri.

About Chittra Cotchadet: She was one of the protest leaders in the protest against Triumph Thailand. During these protests the Try Arm brand/factory was founded.
The following text is from the TRY ARM webpage (http://tryarm-eng.blogspot.com/2010/06/about-us-try-arm-underwear-fair-trade.html):
Über Chittra Cotchadet: Sie war eine der Anführerinnen der Proteste gegen Triumph Thailand. Während dieser Proteste wurde das Unternehmen/die Marke TRY ARM ins Leben gerufen. Der englische Text unten stammt von der Webseite des Unternehmens:
The TRY ARM brand originated in the protest camp occupied by Triumph International Thailand Labor Union workers engaged in a months-long struggle against their unlawful dismissal by their employer. After more than 20 years of laboring under exploitative garment factory conditions while serving as a beacon for social movements throughout Thailand, TITLU workers have responded to their employer’s final act of union busting by applying their longstanding commitment to democracy and economic justice to the production process itself.

About Nithiwat Wannasiri: political activist and blogger, joined the PAD protests in 2005 because he didn't like the way Thaksin Shinawatra ruled the country and he wanted justice for the victims of the Tak Bai and Krue Sue massacres. In April 2010 he joined the red shirts (insisting he was a free red shirt, not a UDD supporter)  after the Kok Wua intersection crackdown on 10th of April. He also joined the red shirts at Ratchaprasong during the May 19 2010 crackdown.
"It doesn't matter what colour shirt I wear. It might not be red in the future - the only thing that matters is the fight for justice for the people and equality."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/270232/

Über Nithiwat Wannasiri: poitischer Aktivist und Blogger, unterstützte die Proteste der PAD 2005, weil er die Art und Weise ablehnte, wie Thaksin Shinawatra das Land regierte. Ausserdem wollte er Gerechtikeit für die Opfer der Massaker von Tak Bai und Krue Sue. Nach der versuchten Niederschlagung (der Rothemdenproteste) im April 2010 an der Kok Wua Kreuzung schloß er sich den Rothemden an (er besteht darauf, ein freier Rothemden-Aktivist zu sein, kein Anhänger der UDD). Er war auch an der Ratchaprasong während der Niederschlagung der Proteste am 19.Mai 2010.
"Die Farbe meines T-Shirts ist nicht wichtig. In Zukunft wird es vielleicht nicht mehr rot sein - das einzige was wirklich zählt, ist der Kampf für Gerechtigkeit und Gleichheit."

Statement of Tian Prueksakasemsuk (in Thai only), daughter of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for publishing two articles of another author in a magazine. Both articles were deemed offensive under Section 112 of the Criminal Code.
More about Somyot: http://yanawa.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-somyot-prueksakasemsuk-case.html
and http://yanawa.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-somyot-verdict.html

Rede von Tian Prueksakasemsuk, Tochter von Somyot Pruksakesemsuk, der zu 10 Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt wurde, weil er zwei Artikel eines anderen Autoren in einem Magazin veröffentlich hatte. Beide Artikel beleidigten nach Ansicht des Gerichtes die Monarchie.
Mehr über Somyot: http://yanawa.blogspot.com/2012/12/der-somyot-prueksakasemsuk-prozess.html
und http://yanawa.blogspot.com/2013/01/das-somyot-urteil.html

Soldiers voluntarily (as I understood) helped to divert the traffic.
Soldaten regelten freiwillig (soweit mir bekannt ist) den Verkehr.

The B-Floor performance:

10th Anniversary of Somchai Neelapaijit's disappearance/10. Jahrestag des Verschwindens von Somchai Neelapaijit

Somchai's biography:

http://pataniriver.blogspot.com/2011/03/7th-years-disappearance-of-somchai.html

Part 1: Angkhana Neelapaijit's press conference at the FCCT on the 10th anniversary of her husband's forced disappearance

Part 2 - An analysis by Nicola Glass is coming soon. Der zweite Teil, eine Analyse von Nicola Glass, erscheint in Kürze.

Anmerkung: Von diesem Post gibt es diesmal leider nur eine englischsprachige Version, da sowohl der Videomitschnitt als auch die weiterführenden bzw. vertiefenden Links/Texte nur in englischer Sprache vorliegen. Zur Erleichterung ist der exakte Wortlaut der Erklärung unter dem Video nachlesbar.

Video: 04 March 2014 at the FCCT in Bangkok

(Although it has been now ten years since Somchai vanished, I have never given up my hope), hope that my husband´s disappearance can finally be solved and that my family can achieve justice and peace and closure.

But over the years the hope has grown thinner. Enforced disappearances affected many people in Thailand, not just my family, but many are afraid to seek justice, to seek truth. They are scared, because they have been threatened, especially in the South, where many of them do not (have) access to justice; sometimes they are paid to stay silent.

When Somchai disappeared in 2004 under the Thaksin Shinawatra regime, we were offered money. I was raising five children who have now grown up without their father. We were offered money and a scholarship for my daughters to study abroad, but in return we had to remain silent. We decided not to accept any money back then, but to continue to fight to battle for justice.

As you know, the battle has been continuing for ten years. My husband Somchai knew a lot about injustice. As a son of poor farmers he knew about suffering, exploitation and other social injustice. That´s what inspired him to become a lawyer to help marginalized people. Somchai has had a genuine and strong belief in the justice process. He represented defendands in many high profile cases, including the six Ramkamheang University students, who were charged with treason and communist acts, the case of the Chulalongkorn University student who was planted with drugs, and many cases in the Deep South.

At the time of Somchai´s disappearance the situation in the Deep South of Thailand which was already bad, had gotten even worse under the so-called counter-terrorism policy of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Somchai was helping to represent five villagers from Narathiwat province, who had been arrested and had been subject to torture. He wrote to complain to various agencies to ask the authorities to urgently investigate the case. Just only one day after he had launched the complaints he was abducted by a group of men who later were identified as police officers.

Somchai´s enforced disappearance has brought enormous changes to my life. From being an ordinary housewife with barely any knowledge of the law, I have had to struggle to raise my children through this difficult and upsetting (times), while trying at the same time to figure out a way to expedite justice for the father of my children. I always said even though the justice process may not bring his life back, but it should not be allowed to avoid the responsibility to give justice back to Somchai.

In the past ten years I have tried very hard to achieve justice. The Yingluck government has given me compensation but the money cannot restore the dignity of the victim, and despite this compensation there has never been one word of apology by the government or the Royal Thai Police. Even though the government has changed several times in the past ten years, the senior police have not. Under the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva which came after the Thaksin government, some of the senior Royal Thai police officers who were involved in the Somchai case, were removed or transferred to what we call in Thailand inactive posts.

But now under the Yingluck government they came back, and in very prominent positions. So, we keep going round in circles, governments change but the police stay the same.

As I have discovered it is almost impossible in Thailand for an ordinary person to reach out for justice and the rule of law in human rights abuse cases. It is difficult to convey how traumatic the experience can be to bear witness to the fact that a person who did so much for so many people, is not even bestowed with a gravestone where his descendants can hold a service in memory of him.

At the 24th session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva last September Prime Minister Yingluck told Human Rights Commissioner Ms Navi Pillay and an international audience that Thailand is committed to human rights. But where is the evidence of this? The people or persons responsible for the enforced disappearance of my husband are free to step forward and ask for a pardon, or offer an apology. I could accept an apology, but I cannot accept the fact that 10 years on we are still fighting for justice. No one has been convicted, and there is no guarantee (that) this sort of thing won´t happen again. This culture of impunity needs to be stopped. Not just for me or my family, but for hundreds of others who have suffered similar injustice.

I thank you.

More informations on forced disappearances and the Somchai case/
Weitere Informationen zum Thema "verschwundene" Menschen in Thailand und zum Fall Somchai  (nur in Englisch):
http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/somchai/
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/03/19/it-was-suddenly-my-son-no-longer-existed-0
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/03/11/thailand-lawyer-s-disappearance-unsolved-10-years
http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/3066

Somchai's biography/Somchais Biografie (nur in Englisch):

http://pataniriver.blogspot.com/2011/03/7th-years-disappearance-of-somchai.html

FCCT Address/Adresse :

The Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand
The Penthouse, Maneeya Center
518/5 Ploenchit Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 https://www.fccthai.com/