The trial for the murder of indigenous rights activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen has concluded, said the Cross-Cultural Foundation (CrCF). The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases will deliver a verdict on 28 September.

Charges filed against Cross-Cultural Foundation (CrCF) Director Pornpen Khongkachonkiet for participating in a panel discussion about enforced disappearance in July 2021 have been dropped.

<p>Public prosecutors have filed formal charges against a group of officials who stand accused of murdering and concealing the body of a land rights activist back in 2014. Despite the move, civil rights advocates remain skeptical that justice will be served in the case.</p>

<p>On 8 June, the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced to death Thitisant &lsquo;Joe Ferrari&rsquo; Utthanaphon, a former police colonel, and another 5 officers for suffocating a drug suspect to death with plastic bags in August 2021. The sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment.</p>

<p>A draft bill criminalising torture and enforced disappearance has passed the House of Representatives with 359 votes in favour, 1 abstention and 2 decided not to vote. The bill will now go to the senate for final consideration.</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>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>

<p>The prosecutor in the Deep South province of Pattani has dropped the charges against 3 prominent human rights defenders who documented allegations of human rights abuses in the restive Deep South.</p>

<p>Despite an earlier agreement, the military has not withdrawn its complaints against three human rights defenders who exposed torture in Thailand’s Deep South. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<div>The decision by the junta’s lawmakers to drop consideration of a bill on torture and enforced disappearance is largely seen as a major setback by civil society organisations and victims’ families who are calling for answers and justifications.&nbsp;</div> <div> </div>

<p>The Thai military has dropped criminal defamation charges against three human rights defenders who exposed torture in Thailand’s Deep South.</p> <p>On 7 March 2017, Col Pramote Promin, Deputy Spokesperson for Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4, said the military has withdrawn criminal defamation charges against Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, Director of the Cross Cultural Foundation (CrCF); Somchai Homla-or, Advisor to the CrCF; and Anchana Heemmina, President of the Duay Jai group.</p>