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LONDON, June 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ —
International lawyers acting as advisors to Thai defense counsel today delivered a letter to Thai Authorities demanding a full, fair and complete investigation — through independent and objective bodies — into the deaths of more than 80 civilians during street protests in April and May 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The letter, which is grounded in international treaty obligations by the Thai government, demands:
— An investigation for potential Human Rights violations into the shooting deaths of civilians by Thai military; — Preservation of all evidence relating to civilian and military casualties;
— Disclosure of all physical, video and other evidence in possession of Thai authorities, including ballistic testing, forensic reports and military operational documents;
— An opportunity to test and examine all physical and expert evidence through defense counsel and independent experts.
“The reaction of the Thai military to the Red Shirt protests, including the decision to use live fire against unarmed citizens, is a critical component of any proper defense for the accused,” said Robert Amsterdam, who is advising the Thai legal defense team for the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), on behalf of his client former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. “The Thai authorities cannot hold UDD members criminally responsible for the violence without an independent examination into the proportionality of the Thai authorities’ response to the demonstrations.”
At least thirteen UDD members charged in connection with the Red Shirt emonstrations in Bangkok face death sentences if convicted.
The full text of the letter has been publically posted to http://www.robertamsterdam.com/thailand.
SOURCE: Amsterdam & Peroff LLP
CONTACT: James T. Kimer for Amsterdam & Peroff LLP,
+1-917-355-0717,
james.kimer@ksocialmedia.com