Pubdate: Sat, 08 Mar 2003
Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2003
Contact:  http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39

AMNESTY TELLS GOVT TO ACT ON DEATH THREATS

Amnesty International has called on Thailand to protect the country's top 
human rights official who claimed to have received death threats since 
reporting on the country's violent anti-drug campaign to the United Nations.

Dr Pradit Charoenthaitawee, a national human rights commissioner, said he 
had received several telephoned death threats but vowed to continue doing 
his job.

The London-based human rights group said in a statement yesterday that the 
Thai government "should do everything in its power to provide protection to 
Dr Pradit and his family'' and "should immediately initiate an 
investigation into these repeated death threats.''

Dr Pradit said he had been unfairly targeted for his effort to document the 
country's anti-drug campaign.

"I am doing my job and will continue to do it, so those who have been 
harassing me by telephone and threatening my life should stop,'' he said.

The Amnesty statement noted that members of Prime Minister Thaksin 
Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai party have said they were considering a petition 
for Dr Pradit to be ousted as human rights commissioner.

Those politicians said Dr Pradit had overstepped his bounds by complaining 
to the UN about the high death toll from the anti-drug campaign. His action 
has caused embarrassment for Thailand, they claimed. Amnesty welcomed Mr 
Thaksin's appointment last week of two government committees to look into 
drug-related killings, encouraging authorities to ensure prompt and 
independent inquiries.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens