Yala: A male civilian accused of involvement in the lethal bombing of a fresh market in Muang district in January and held at a military camp was freed on Monday after the provincial court refused to further extend his detention.
Lawyer Supawadee Sawaree, of a Muslim attorney centre in Yala, said on Tuesday that Muhamaaidee Samoh was released from the Ingkayut Borihan Military Camp in Pattani on Monday evening after the Yala Provincial Court denied the authorities' request for a fourth extension of his detention.
Under the emergency decree, authorities can seek the court’s permission to detain a suspect for a maximum of 28 days. Mr Muhamaaidee’s detention period had already been extended three times, each time for seven days.
His release came after Mr Muhamaaidee’s family lodged a petition with the court last Thursday, challenging the prolongation of his detention. He was initially arrested under martial law and locked up at the 41st Ranger Regiment at the Wang Phaya Military Camp in Yala on March 14.
Mr Muhamaaidee was apprehended at a local fuel station in connection with several violent incidents in the province, including the motorcycle bomb at Pimolchai fresh market on Jan 22 which killed three people and injured 34 others.
He was later taken to the military camp in Pattani and detained for questioning under the Executive Decree for Public Administration in Emergency Situations on March 20.
The family claimed Mr Muhamaaidee was tortured and coerced into admitting the crime while he was being detained at the Pattani military camp.
According to his wife, she was allowed to talk to him for only five minutes on each visit to the camp. She suspected her husband was physically assaulted as he had bruising to his mouth. She said that Mr Muhamaaidee had told her, “I can’t take it anymore.”
A court heard the case on Monday, Ms Supawdee said. Mr Muhamaaidee’s wife was a key witness. He was released from dentention on Monday evening
Ms Supawadee said it was the first time the court ruled against a request by authorities to extend the detention period under the emergency decree. Mr Muhamaaidee’s case could therefore be used as a standard for other similar cases involving civilians.
Under the decree, police and the military can exercise their full authority in violence-plagued areas, including detaining suspects without an arrest warrant.
Civilians in regulated areas are unable to file a suit against the authorities, while gatherings are also prohibited.
After Mr Muhamaaidee was freed, a separate case was heard the same day, also brought by his family, in which the authorities were accused of torturing him, Ms Supawadee said.
The court dismissed the allegation, ruling that he was detained under the emergency decree and the plaintiff was unable to produce solid evidence of physical assault.
