Thailand:Outspoken Rights Commissioner Harassed
Event- Country
- Thailand
- Initial Date
- Apr 30, 2019
- Event Description
The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand should immediately end its groundless inquiry of an outspoken commissioner, Human Rights Watch said today. Commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit has repeatedly spoken out about Thailand's pressing human rights problems under the military junta. On April 30, 2019, the rights commission began a disciplinary inquiry of Angkhana, accusing her of political partiality. The inquiry was triggered by comments from Tuang Attachai, a junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly member, and a complaint filed with the commission by Surawat Sangkharuek, a pro-junta activist. The inquiry focuses on Angkhana's role in observing legal proceedings and documenting rights violations against opposition politicians and critics of the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). She faces possible impeachment. The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, once considered a model for national human rights bodies in Southeast Asia, has faced interference from successive Thai governments since the first commissioners finished their term in 2009. The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and the United Nations Human Rights Council downgraded the commission's global ranking from "A" to "B" in 2015, revoking Thai commissioner's privilege to speak from the council floor and present their views during council sessions. The downgrade stemmed from the government's manipulation of the selection process for commissioners and serious questions about the commission's pro-government political bias.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Gender of HRD
- Woman
- Violation
- Administrative Harassment
- Intimidation and Threats
- Judicial Harassment
- HRD
- NHRI/ NHRI staff
- WHRD
- Perpetrator-State
- Government
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 15.870032000000004
Longitude: 100.992538
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 30 April 2019, Angkhana Neelapaijit, National Human Rights Commissioner of Thailand who has repeatedly spoken out about Thailand's pressing human rights problems under the military junta, has been placed under investigation.