<p>On 28 June, the Southern Bangkok Civil Court ordered the Royal Thai Police to pay compensation to Ritthirong Cheunchit, a man who was beaten and suffocated with plastic bags by policemen in 2009 to make him confess to a crime he did not commit.</p>

<p>The Sub-Committee on Torture and Enforced Disappearance of the Ministry of Justice has called off its investigation into the alleged beating of two protesters while in the custody of officers from Din Daeng Police Station, ruling that the beating does not constitute torture.</p>

<p>Ahead of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Amnesty International calls for a ban on batons whose only practical purpose is torture or other ill-treatment, and published a new briefing on how batons should be used in a human right-compliant manner.</p>

<p>A <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/9616">draft bill</a> criminalising torture and enforced disappearance has completed a reconciliation process and now goes to a second reading in parliament expected on 23-25 February, according to the committee scrutinizing the bill.</p>

<p>On 29 November 2021, the Prachinburi Provincial Court affirmed a Court of Appeals decision to drop a lawsuit filed by a police officer against Ritthirong Cheunchit, a man detained and beaten by the police. The suit alleged that Ritthirong previously gave false testimony in court.</p>

<p>On Thursday night (18 November), police from Thonglor Police Station raided a live painting event organized by the Cross-cultural Foundation (CrCF) at WTF Gallery &amp; Cafe and ordered them to erase the painting claiming that it is &ldquo;insulting.&rdquo;</p>

<p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrw.org/thailand">Thai</a>&nbsp;authorities should promptly and impartially investigate the alleged police torture of two pro-democracy activists in Bangkok and hold those responsible to account, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/11/03/thailand-police-torture-political-activists">Human Rights Watch </a>said yesterday (3 November).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thailand&rsquo;s parliament should amend the draft law on torture and enforced disappearance without delay in order to ensure compliance with Thailand&rsquo;s international legal obligations, said the ICJ and Amnesty International.</p>

<p>On 30 September, the 46th Military Circle Court accepted a case of misconduct and unintentional killing against 9 soldiers who beat to death Wichian Puaksom, a newly enlisted private, in Narathiwat province, according to the Cross Cultural Foundation (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/CrCF.Thailand/photos/a.417098988337393/4376692165711369/">CrCF</a>).</p>

<p>Amnesty International calls on the Thai authorities to pass a law which includes definitions of torture and enforced disappearances in full accordance with international law and offers justice to victims, after the Thai parliament voted yesterday (16 September) to approve the first reading of a bill criminalizing torture and enforced disappearance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A newly-launched book documents the ongoing case of Somsak Chuenchit and his 12-year effort to bring the police officers who tortured his son by beating and suffocating&nbsp;him with plastic bags during an interrogation.</p>

<p>As uncertainty looms over whether a bill to criminalize torture and enforced disappearance will be approved by parliament, friends and relatives of the disappeared rallied on 8 September to demand its immediate passing to put an end to impunity and harassment from the authorities.</p>