The cabinet yesterday approved an amendment to the Military Court Act to eliminate provincial military courts and grant non-military persons the right to file cases in the Military Court.
Deputy government spokesman Karom Phonphonklang said yesterday that the amendment to the Military Court Act aligns with the Royal Decree, which sets clear guidelines regarding the powers and jurisdiction of the Military Court.
Under the existing law, only military prosecutors or victims under the military court's jurisdiction -- such as military officers, cadets or civilians employed by the military -- can file criminal cases in the Military Court.
Victims who are not under the jurisdiction of the Military Court cannot initiate criminal cases independently in both peace and wartime. The Ministry of Defence has proposed an amendment to the act to allow non-military citizens to file cases in the Military Court and to have the rulings reviewed by higher courts.
Key points of the changes include dissolving the provincial military courts under the newly defined jurisdiction of the Military Court as stipulated in the Royal Decree. The proposed amendment also allows for Military Court rulings issued during wartime and during the imposition of martial law to be made appealable. The amendments are consistent with Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
