The Military Committee is preparing to send an urgent letter to ask the OAG about the case of a soldier being beaten to death. Does it have to be a special case? Including having the Army Commander protect witnesses in the military camp. Pointing out that commissioned officers must share the responsibility. Mr. Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a party-list MP for the Prachachon Party and chairman of the House of Representatives Military Affairs Committee, announced the results of the committee meeting to consider the case of Mr. Woraprachan, a conscripted soldier who was disciplined and died. Mr Wirot said that from the detention request document made by the investigator, it was stated that Private Woraprachan was physically abused and tortured continuously on many occasions until the bruises appeared outside his clothes, to the point that he had fellow soldiers take care of him, bathe him, and carry him to eat. Therefore, the commanding officer cannot claim that he did not know. The autopsy found that he had been severely abused, with a ruptured lung, a swollen brain, a fractured spine and broken ribs. It is impossible that such severe injuries were caused by the discipline according to the regulations of the Ministry of Defense. Rather, he was abused and gang-banged, beaten and tortured more than once, and it is impossible that the camp commander or commanding officer would not be aware of it. The public is well aware of the Safe Soldiers project, which the Military Committee has officially coordinated with the Ministry of Defense and widely publicized. Therefore, it is impossible that the commanding officer would not be aware and unaware. Therefore, according to the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, Section 42, there is reason to suspect that commanding officers at the rank of lieutenant, captain, camp commander and department commander must also be held liable. Mr. Wiroj said that the committee resolved in 2 directions: The committee will urgently write a letter to the Attorney General to come in and make a decision and supervise the prosecution under the Enforced Disappearance Act, to determine which agency should be responsible for prosecuting this case because from the report, it was found that the investigators who hold the rank of Police Lieutenant Colonel are worried and lack expertise and experience in prosecuting cases under the Enforced Disappearance Act, and are also worried about prosecuting commissioned officers of the rank of Colonel or above. Therefore, a letter must be written to the Attorney General to help consider whether to make this case a special case or to let the prosecutors of the Investigation Office handle it. In addition, the Attorney General will be asked to take action to protect witnesses because some suspects have been released on bail from the military court and have behaviors that may be considered as threatening witnesses in the camp. In addition, an urgent letter will be written to the Army Commander to take action to protect witnesses in the Nawa mintharachini Camp in Chonburi Province and to prevent military officers from interfering in the case, including engaging in threatening behavior that causes annoyance to witnesses or victims. Mr. Wirot hopes that this case will be the last case and that those who are responsible must not only be sergeants and privates, but must also be commissioned officers, especially high-ranking commanding officers, who must also be held accountable. Source: Thai News Agency
Saturday, September 21, 2024