UN EXPERT ON EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS EXPRESSES CONCERN

OVER RECENT KILLINGS IN THAILAND

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 24 February (UN Information Service) -- The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Asma Jahangir, has expressed deep concern at reports of more than 100 deaths in Thailand in connection with a crackdown on the drug trade.

Ms. Jahangir cites allegations of excessive use of force resulting in extrajudicial executions in the course of the ongoing law enforcement operations by Thai authorities.

The Special Rapporteur urges the relevant Thai authorities to ensure that law enforcement and security officials engaged in those operations carry out their duties in strict compliance with national and international human rights standards, and in particular that, “the strict limits on the use of lethal force, as stipulated under the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law-enforcement Officials, are followed rigorously and without exception”.

Ms. Jahangir also calls on the Thai authorities promptly to carry out transparent and independent investigations into each individual death, in order to assess the accountability of law enforcement and security officials.  “The perpetrators of human rights violations are brought to justice in accordance with national and international standards”, the Special Rapporteur said.

The Special Rapporteur was appointed to her position as an independent expert by the Commission on Human Rights in 1998.  The Commission is composed of 53 States from all regions and meets in Geneva every year in March and April.

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