Legal group alleges 4 bombing suspects tortured

Legal group alleges 4 bombing suspects tortured

Some of the suspects allegedly involved in the grenade attack at the Criminal Court on March 7 are escorted by police for questioning at the Royal Thai Police headquarters March 15. An anti-coup legal group alleges that four suspects have been tortured while in custody. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)
Some of the suspects allegedly involved in the grenade attack at the Criminal Court on March 7 are escorted by police for questioning at the Royal Thai Police headquarters March 15. An anti-coup legal group alleges that four suspects have been tortured while in custody. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)

An anti-coup legal group is calling for police to investigate allegations that four of the suspects arrested for this month’s Criminal Court bombing have been tortured while in custody.

The Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group claimed in a statement Wednesday that Sansern Sri-oonruan, 63, Charnwit Jariyanukul, 61, Wichai Yusuk, 49, and Norapat Lueapol complained to their attorneys that they were "hit, punched, booted in the head, chest and back, and threatened with an assault in order to extract information from them".

In addition, the group alleged, some of the suspects "were electrocuted leaving visible traces on their skin" while being held under martial law March 9-15.

In its statement, the lawyers' group made three demands, among them that the Royal Thai Police Office investigate alleged abuses of the four suspects.

The group, which offers legal aid to those arrested protesting the May 22 coup, said it remains concerned about the use of martial law to supress criminal activity and to hold people in custody without allowing them to contact lawyers or families.

"The deprivation of liberty of a person invoked by martial law may give rise to arbitrary exercise of power, torture and ill treatment, and enforced disappearances," the group said.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights called on the National Council for Peace and Order to end "invocation of martial law to suppress any criminal act," arguing that police already have enough power to apply for arrest warrants and to investigate cases.

It also called on the Department of Corrections to "ensure access to independent and impartial physicians" for the four suspects and provide access to physical and mental examinations to all of the bombing suspects arrested.

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