Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Seven years after Thai human rights lawyer Somchai Neelaijipit went missing, there is still no prospect of justice. Somchai disappeared on 12 March 2004, one day after he had publicly accused the police of torturing his clients, who were in detention. Since then, nothing has been heard of him. Despite pressure from his family and on the national and international level, those responsible have not yet been held accountable. Shortly after the disappearance of Somchai, five police officers were arrested and prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the disappearance. Although there were severe suspicions against all five suspects, the lower court convicted only one officer to a three year prison sentence in January 2006, but acquitted the other four. National and international human rights organizations (such as Human Rights First, Lawyers for Lawyers) observed the trial and believed that this verdict was the result of a failure of the judicial apparatus. The  Appeals Court on 11 March 2011  acquitted all of the five suspects. Furthermore, the court ruled that Somchai’s wife and children are not eligible to exercise his rights as a damaged party, thereby shutting the door for Somchai’s family to uncover the truth and to seek justice in court.