Showing 1 - 10 of 31
Bdap's arrest a litmus test
Oped, Editorial, Published on 15/06/2024
» As Thailand vies for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) for the 2025-2027 term -- something the previous Prayut government failed to do -- the arrest of Y Quynh Bdap, a Vietnamese political activist with UN refugee status, will serve as a litmus test for Thailand's human rights standards.
Aussie ties out of the woods, raring to go
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 27/09/2022
» 'Thais that bind: secret mission ends Aussie's torment," read the front page headline of The Australian on Nov 22, 2020. It was referring to Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert, the British-Australian academic arrested in late 2018 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard as she was about to leave Tehran over an espionage charge. She was subsequently sentenced to 10 years in jail in a secret trial.
Non-refoulement at heart of refugee protection
News, Evan Jones, Published on 03/12/2019
» In early November, the world witnessed a tense and potentially life-threatening situation unfold at Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur International Airport, as two Cambodians were held in airport detention, pending deportation to Cambodia. Despite candidly declaring to immigration authorities that they would face imprisonment in Cambodia, and that they were not willing to return to their home country, there were numerous preparations taken to remove them from Malaysian soil.
Refugee status must be respected
News, Evan Jones, Published on 23/05/2019
» On May 10, Thai activist Praphan Pipithnamporn was extradited from Malaysia to Thailand, arriving home to face charges of sedition in accordance with the draconian Section 116. This forcible repatriation by Malaysian authorities occurred despite Ms Praphan having already registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and subsequently being determined to be a "person of concern". Such actions by Malaysia must be considered nothing short of refoulement -- returning someone to a country where they are likely to be subject to persecution.
Nixing votes isn't fair
News, Postbag, Published on 15/03/2019
» First was the Constitutional Court's dissolution of the Thai Raksa Chart Party. Now, the Electoral Commission is weighing in with a plan to disallow the votes of voters who had been unscrupulously "led" or "influenced" into voting for certain candidates.
Weigh strength of ties in face-offs over extradition
News, Leah Carter, Published on 09/03/2019
» Two major multinational cases involving extradition requests concluded in recent weeks.
Chemical menace
News, Postbag, Published on 06/03/2019
» We read in "Watch what you eat", (Life, March 5), that "eating different types of fruits and vegetables helps cut the risk of taking in too many chemicals".
Why Hakeem al-Araibi matters
News, Themba Lewis, Published on 04/03/2019
» Only recently, Thailand became the focus of global attention when a decision was taken to release Hakeem al-Araibi from administrative detention and allow his return to Australia. The case galvanised the world and challenged Thailand's relationship with Australia, Bahrain, Fifa, and international law. It captured front-page headlines, innervated human rights advocates, and ignited a ground-up movement across the world of international football.
Melodious and odious
News, Postbag, Published on 21/02/2019
» Re: "Army chief sings out hateful blast from gory past", (Opinion, Feb 19).
Refugees, not 'escapees'
News, Postbag, Published on 17/02/2019
» Re: "Cops recapture 2 Uighur escapees", (BP, Feb 15).