Army Chief:Thailand's Military Court Act needs to be updated

BANGKOK, February 16 (TNA) - Army Chief General Udomdej Sitabutr, who is also Deputy Defence Minister, stresses on a need to update Thailand's Military Court Act, insisting that the change would not violate human rights. General Udomdej told journalists on Monday that the revised Military Court Act would not allow the Thai military to "go over" its mandate or violate human rights, but the existing law needs to be updated in many areas. General Udomdej explained that the amendment would empower Royal Thai Armed Forces' commanders to arrest and detain suspects in warranted areas or outside a court's jurisdiction. The Thai army chief gave an example that the revised Military Court Act enables a navy commander who leads a navy fleet to the high seas to arrest and detain suspected wrongdoers aboard a ship. The Thai army chief's remarks were in response to a recent call by the Human Right Watch (HRW), an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) conducting research and advocating human rights, for Thailand's National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to reject the amendment of the Military Court Act, proposed late last year by the interim Thai government of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha, who is also Chief of the Thai army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). HRW claimed that Thailand's Military Court Act, if amended, would broadly empower Royal Thai Armed Forces' commanders to detain civilians without charge or judicial oversight for up to 84 days. HRW also cautioned that the proposed amendment to the military court law would violate Thailand’s obligations as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to ensure due process and fair trial rights and to prohibit governments from using military courts to try civilians when civilian courts can still function. Asked whether the Thai military would invite a HRW representative for talks and clarification, the Thai army chief noted that the Thai military has already explained the reasons to amend the Military Court Act and will try to provide more information for proper understanding with the majority of the public, but the Thai military may consider implementing another policy to deal with the minority. (TNA)