Abhisit, Suthep may face murder charge.
Source: bangkokpost.com

It is possible that former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his former deputy Suthep Thaugsuban could be charged with murder in connection with the crackdown on red-shirt protesters in April-and May 2010 as a consequence of today's ruling y the Criminal Court, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tarit Pengit said on Monday.

The Criminal Court ruled on Monday that Phan Khamkong, a taxi driver from Yasothon, was shot and killed by on May 15, 2010 by troops acting on orders issued by the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES).

Mr Suthep was CRES director at the time.

The DSI chief said today's ruling would be a precedent for the courts to proceed with the 35 other cases of death arising from the 2010 riots.

He said it was possible for Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep to be charged with premeditated murder under Articles 288 and 289 of the Criminal Code because they were ultimately responsible for ordering the military to quell the riots.

The soldiers who honestly performed their duty were entitled to protection by Article 70 of the Criminal Code.

There were two possible options, he said. One, they could be charged, but not prosecuted. Two, they could be prosecuted, but excluded as witnesses.

However, whether legal action would be taken against anyone and on what charges was still to be decided by the committee investigating the deaths of 91 people during the violence, Mr Tarit said.

The Criminal Court Monday ruled that a taxi driver was shot dead by troops deployed to tighten security around Rajprasong Intesection in May 2010.
Source:www.nationmultimedia.com
Phan Khamkong was shot dead between 12.05am and 1am on May 16. He was shot in the left chest and the bullet also pierced his right arm.
The court ruled that troops who were carrying out the operation fired at a van driven by Samorn Maithong when it was trying to break through the security checkpoint of troops in the Rajprasong.
Phan was shot by .223 bullet, which was a type of ammunition used by Army troops.
The court ruled that he was killed as a result of the security keeping operations ordered by the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation.
The case of Phan's death was the first of 19 deaths arising from the 2010 political violence sent to the court by public prosecutors.
Public prosecutors told the court that Phan went to rent his taxi to drive in Wat Saket area on May 14.
At 8pm on May 15, Phan called his daughter to day that he was hiding at a condominium construction site in Rajprarop. This was the last time his daughter heard from him.
The Department of Special Investigation have yet to prove whether troops in the area shot at Phan on their own or were simply carrying out an unlawful order. If carrying out an order, they would not be held responsible. Legal action would be taken against those who gave the order.

ALCUNI PASSAGGI TRATTI DA UN ARTICOLO DI TG24:
"Nessuna attenzione da parte del governo italiano" Fotoreporter italiano ucciso due anni fa a Bangkok. Indagini ferme per un anno e ora il processo.

Com'è l’attenzioni pubblica sul processo in Thailandia?
“Fortissima. Fabio è amatissimo. E’ più conosciuto che in Italia e a ogni manifestazione viene portata la sua fotografia.

Ha avuto l’appoggio dal governo italiano?
“Quando accade una cosa così il Ministero degli Esteri apre un fascicolo d’ufficio ma la rogatoria internazionale partita dalla procura di Roma è arrivata solo due giorni prima il 23 luglio (giorno della prima udienza ndr.). Il documento servirebbe all’Italia per accedere ai documenti dell’indagine”.

Cosa si aspetta dal processo?
“Io vado avanti con lo stesso spirito del primo momento. Con speranza ma senza aspettative. Non pretendo di avere l’assassino di mio fratello. La Thailandia è un paese con molte difficoltà dove l’esercito ha grande influenza sulla politica”.

Quale sarebbe un buon risultato?
“Rompere una consuetudine dove nessuno si prede responsabilità. Mi piacerebbe che ciò che è accaduto a Fabio facesse parte di una piccola rivoluzione”.

“We Shall Not Be Silenced by the Thai Army’s Threats”
Source: Robertamsterdam.com

As many of our readers are aware, in recent days it was revealed that the head of the Royal Thai Army General Prayuth Chan-Ocha has filed a lawsuit alleging defamation against Robert Amsterdam, who over the course of the past two years has been working to bring accountability for crimes against humanity committed by the Army during the violent crackdowns against protesters in April and May of 2010.

As declared in a statement published on our Thai blog, Robert Amsterdam stated that he would not be discouraged by General Prayuth’s attempt to intimidate and silence those seeking answers over what happened in Thailand when more than 90 unarmed protesters were gunned down by Army snipers. Representing the Red Shirts, Amsterdam has prepared a number of critical reports including an application to theInternational Criminal Court advocating the initiation of an inquiry in the violence allegedly ordered by General Prayuth. In late June, Mr. Amsterdam led a delegation of Thai representatives to a meeting with the ICC at The Hague.

Mr. Amsterdam has also published an open letter to General Prayuth, which reads: “If you were serious about upholding your soldiers’ reputation, you would use your remaining time as Commander-in-Chief not to make excuses for criminal behavior, but to remake the Royal Thai Army into an institution where those who abuse human rights are held to account. Submitting to a proper investigation in which the facts are examined fairly, without regard for the status of the perpetrators, by investigators who cannot be bullied into “apologizing” to you for their findings, would be a useful first step.”

In additional coverage, today Canadian Lawyer is running a feature online discussing General Prayuth’s complaint against Amsterdam:

Toronto lawyer Robert Amsterdam isn’t backing down from his criticisms of the Thai government despite a defamation complaint by the commander-in-chief of the country’s army.

Chi ha ucciso Fabio Polenghi? Source: Asia Blog by Alessio Fratticcioli

Si apre in Thailandia il processo sulla morte del reporter italiano. Secondo le indagini preliminari fu l’esercito a sparare

Bangkok – Si e’ aperta ieri (lunedi 23 luglio) nella capitale thailandese la prima udienza del processo sulla morte di Fabio Polenghi, fotoreporter freelance milanese ucciso il 19 maggio del 2010 nel cuore di Bangkok.

I FATTI- Polenghi perse la vita mentre testimoniava l’assalto dell’esercito contro le cosiddette Camicie Rosse, i manifestanti anti-governativi che da settimane occupavano il centro della capitale per chiedere le dimissioni del primo ministro e l’indizione di nuove elezioni. Al momento in cui venne colpito a morte, il fotoreporter si trovava all’incrocio tra viale Ratchadamri e via Sarasin, vicino al grande parco Lumpini. La zona, che era stata a lungo territorio dalle camicie rosse, quella mattina venne attaccata violentemente dai soldati che forzarono le barricate e costrinsero i manifestanti alla fuga.
LE BUGIE - Inizialmente, il primo ministro thailandese Abhisit Vejjajiva e il vice primo ministro Suthep Thaugsuban sostennero che a uccidere Polenghi fu una granata lanciata da un “terrorista” che combatteva dalla parte dei manifestanti. Secondo le due autorità thailandesi, entrambe appartenenti al monarchico, conservatore e filo-militare Phak Prachathipat (Partito Democratico), l’italiano sarebbe morto “al fianco” di un soldato, entrambi vittime di manifestanti armati.

INDAGINI - Al contrario, stando alle conclusioni dell’indagine preliminare svolta dalla polizia metropolitana di Bangkok, ad uccidere il giornalista italiano non fu una granata ma un’arma ad alta velocità in dotazione all’esercito. Polenghi è morto a causa di un proiettile che ha perforato il cuore e ha causato danni ai polmoni e al fegato. Per arrivare a questa conclusione, esposta ieri nella prima udienza del procedimento giudiziario, il team guidato dal colonnello di polizia Suebsak Pansura ha studiato le foto, i filmati e i risultati dell’autopsia e li ha confrontati alle testimonianze di ben 47 testimoni oculari. “I soldati avanzavano sparando orizzontalmente, non in aria,” ha testimoniato Suebsak.

“SOLO L’INIZIO” – Elisabetta, la sorella di Fabio, che ha trascorso gli ultimi due anni chiedendo coraggiosamente giustizia, nei giorni scorsi è tornata a Bangkok per seguire l’udienza in prima persona. “Posso dire con certezza – ha spiegato la donna – che le autorità thailandesi hanno fatto di tutto per rallentare le indagini ed è stato difficile e lungo arrivare dove siamo oggi. Questo, però, è solo l’inizio.”

LA REPRESSIONE - Nei due mesi di proteste e scontri che infiammarono la metropoli thailandese nella primavera del 2010 persero la vita 91 persone. Tra le vittime straniere, oltre al nostro Polenghi, anche il cameraman giapponese della Reuters Hiroyuki Muramoto. Altre 2mila persone rimasero ferite. Circa 36 edifici vennero dati alle fiamme dalle camicie rosse in ritirata.