Media
Statement – 24/7/2018
Teerasak Longji, Executed On 18/6/2018 In Thailand May Be A
Miscarriage Of Justice Arising out of Police Failings
-
Abolish
the Death Penalty -
We, the 74 undersigned groups and organisations, are appalled by
the recent ‘secret’ execution of Teerasak Longji by Thailand, the first
execution since 24 August 2009 (Bangkok Post, 18/6/2016). Given recent facts
that have been reported in the media, miscarriage of justice is a very real
possibility.
Thailand had observed a de facto moratorium since 2009, and in about
a year or so it would have been over 10 years, and Thailand would thereafter have
been considered an abolitionist state in practice.
26-year-old Teerasak Longji was executed at Bangkok’s Bang Kwang
Central Prison by lethal injection for aggravated murder. He was accused and
convicted of stabbing Danudet Sookmak ,a 17-year-old high school student, 24
times before stealing his smartphone and wallet in July 2012. Teerasak had
always maintained his innocence, and never confessed.
There are now serious concerns that Teerasak Longji may have been
wrongly executed, just like the case of Chiang Kuo-ching, who was executed in
Taiwan in 1997 after being convicted of sexually abusing and murdering a
five-year-old girl. In 2011, Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice admitted that Chiang
had been executed in error.
“No criminal justice system is perfect. You take a man’s life and
years later, you find out that another person did the crime. What can you do?” - Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz, the
then Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department.
Miscarriage of Justice
There are now questions about the investigation and prosecution in
this case.
There is also the
possibility of cover-up and ‘corruption’ given the fact that the police
admitted that another suspect is still at large, which makes this execution of
Teerasak, a possible ‘material witness’ on 18/6/2018 before all other
perpetrators of the crime are arrested and brought to justice questionable.
Other suspects, when arrested could also prove that Teerasak was not even
guilty. Further, another witness have also emerged, who allegedly can confirm
that Teerasak was innocent.
POLICE INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTION
QUESTIONABLE?
In a media report (Khaosod English,22/6/2018), it was stated, ‘The
victim’s parents said they urged police years ago to look for another
perpetrator, but they claim investigators were dismissive, telling them to
gather witnesses and evidence themselves.’ Recently, the police did confirm
that there was indeed another alleged perpetrator.
The police had on Wednesday(20/6/2018) stated that they are
looking for another suspect...“We’re keeping up the investigation to bring in
another perpetrator,” Prasert [Lt. Col Prasert Songsaeng, who’s in charge of
the case ]said on Friday(22/6/2018). (Khaosod
English, 22/6/2018). Lt. Col Prasert was also reported stating that
Teerasak had never confessed.
The attitude and conduct of the Thai police in this case certainly
is questionable. It is the duty of the police to conduct a thorough investigation,
leaving no stone unturned in its quest for the truth to ensure that the correct
perpetrator of the crime is brought to justice.
As such, the conduct of Lt.
Col Prasert Songsaeng and the officers in charge of the investigation and
prosecution is disappointing. For the police to even suggest to Teerasak’s
parents to ‘gather evidence’ themselves when it is the police duty to
investigate was most unprofessional.
It was also stated in the media report that, ‘…According to
Prasert, police were able to obtain an arrest warrant for Teerasak, who had
several drug- and weapons-related crimes on his record, within a day of the
murder based on strong witness statements. They captured him the next day. He
added that Teerasak has never confessed….’
This raises a doubt about whether the police and the prosecution
conducted a proper investigation in this case. Did the police and prosecutors
have a "tunnel vision" mentality that kept them from pursuing the
real perpetrators of the crime? Were they closed to the possibility of other
suspects, and simply focused on their belief that Teerasak was the guilty
person – not even bothering to find the other alleged perpetrator, or the
possibility that some other, not even Teerasak, committed the crime? Such
‘tunnel vision’ on the part of police and prosecutors has been proven to have
caused serious miscarriage of justice – even the death of innocent persons.
The fact that a person had a past criminal record really does not
mean that he committed a new crime. Past convictions may have a bearing on
sentencing, but it should never ever influence the police in their
investigation into a particular new crime. Jumping to conclusions, and shutting
out other possibilities, is most dangerous, and it may lead to an innocent
person being punished, or even deprived of life.
Justice Was Not Done In Teerasak’s Execution
Doubts have
arisen as to the guilt of Teerasak’s with the emergence of an alleged witness,
which was reported in the media, ‘…The witness’s
claim emerged yesterday online. In it he said that he and another friend saw
two other teenagers repeatedly stab another teen while he was riding a
motorbike past the scene. He stopped to see what was happening and had to flee
the perpetrators. He said Teerasak, whom he was familiar with, was not present
at the time. Then he saw Teerasak riding toward the scene on a motorbike from
the opposite direction and warned him not to continue…’ (Khaosod English, 22/6/2018)
Even if Teerasak was guilty, reasonably he would be a material
witness, when he comes to the prosecuting of others who were also involved in
the killing. The execution of a possible material witness, before any or all
others are arrested, charged and tried would certainly not result in justice
for the victim if the real perpetrators get off scot free for the lack of
Teerasak’s evidence. Doubts arise whether Teerasak was suddenly executed for
some ulterior motive of protecting other perpetrators.
Family Not Notified of Teerasak’s Execution
It was reported that the younger sister of Teerasak, Kanita
Longji, 20, said ‘…that the family was not told he would be put to death until
after it was carried out…”I don’t understand and there was no advanced
notification that he would be executed…In reality, family members should be
notified if an execution is to be carried out…so that relatives can bid
farewell.” Kanita said that the family was planning to visit him on Tuesday
because her brother had recently sent a letter asking for 2,000 Baht…’(Khaosod
English, 19/6/2018)
This is most draconian when family and loved one’s of persons
about to be executed are not even given the opportunity the spend some time
together before execution. Such ‘secret’ executions, also denies the
possibility of any last attempts to prevent the death of persons on death row.
In this case, when fact of the death was revealed in the media, it
has prompted a witness to emerge who could have proven Teerasak’s innocence.
Now, if information of the upcoming execution had appeared in media earlier,
Teerasak may not have been executed by reason of this new witness. The failure
of the police to find this witness, while they were investigating the crime is
also indicative of incompetence or a lackadaisical attitude in the conduct of
criminal investigation.
Therefore, we
Call on the Thailand to immediately review the case of Teerasak
Longji, who was executed on 18/6/2018 to determine whether there was a
miscarriage of justice, and if so, to immediately apologize to the Teerasak
Longji’s family;
Call of the National Human
Rights Commission of Thailand and the government of Thailand to forthwith
conduct an inquiry on the police investigation conducted by Lt. Col
Prasert Songsaeng and the police team on the killing of Danudet Sookmak in July
2012, that led to prosecution and ultimate execution of Teerasak Longji.
Call on Thailand to take action on police and enforcement
personnel involved in investigations of crime, who failed to conduct their
investigation professionally, competently and in a corruption-free manner, that
can result in miscarriage of justice;
Call on Thailand to immediately impose a moratorium on executions,
and to abolish the death penalty in Thailand
Charles Hector
Selma James
Nina Lopez
For and on behalf of the 74 organisations/groups
listed below
ALIRAN, Malaysia
Australians Against Capital Punishment (AACP)
Association of Human Rights Defenders and
Promoters- HRDP, Myanmmar
ATRAHDOM Guatemala
Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM),
India
Brandywine Peace Community
Catholic Mobilizing Network, US
CAW (Committee for Asian Women)
Center for Orang Asli Concerns(COAC), Malaysia
Center for Prisoners' Rights, Japan
Christian Development Alternative (CDA),
Bangladesh
CRCF -Cross Cultural Foundation, Thailand
Democratic Commission for Human Development,
Pakistan
ECPM (Together against the Death Penalty [Ensemble contre la peine de mort]),
France
End Solitary Santa Cruz County, CA, USA
Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc.
FIDU - Federazione Italiana Diritti Umani(Italian
Federation for Human Rights)
German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
(GCADP)
Global Women’s Strike, UK
Global Women’s Strike, USA
GoodElectronics Thailand
Haiti Action Committee
Hands off Cain
Health and Opportunity Network (HON),
Thailand
Hearty Support
Group ,Thailand
Human Rights
Coalition
Human Rights Coalition, Philadelphia, USA
HRC Fed Up Pittsburgh, USA
Human Rights and
Democracy Media Center "SHAMS", Palestine
IDEAL( Institute for Development of Alternative Living),
Malaysia
Imparsial The Indonesian Human Right Monitor
International Concerned Family and Friends of
Mumia Abu-Jamal
Legal Action for Women, United Kingdom
Legal Awareness Watch(LAW), Pakistan
Let’s Get
Free/Pittsburgh
MADPET(Malaysians Against Death Penalty and
Torture)
Malaysian Physicians for Social
Responsibility.(MPSR)
Manushya Foundation, Thailand
MAP Foundation (Thailand)
Margaret Prescod, Pacifica Radio host
Marvi Rural Development Organization- MRDO,
Pakistan
Migrant Care, Indonesia
MLK Coalition of Greater Los Angeles, USA
Mumia Abu-Jamal
National Union of Transport Equipment &
Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW)
North South Initiative
Odhikar, Bangladesh
Parti Rakyat Malaysia(PRM)
Payday – USA
Payday Men’s Network
People's Empowerment Foundation (PEF),
Thailand
Persatuan Komuniti Prihatin Selangor, KL
& Perak (Malaysia)
Programme Against Custodial Torture and
Impunity (PACTI), India
Raging Grannies
Rescue Alternatives Liberia (RAL)
Sikhoraphum Youth Group ,Thailand
Singapore Anti Death Penalty Campaign (SADPC)
Step Ahead
Foundation, Thailand
TEA Togetherness for Equality and Action,
Thailand
Tenaganita, Malaysia
Teoh Beng Hock trust for Democracy
The Duay Jai (Hearty Support) Group, Thailand
The Julian Wagner Memorial Fund (JWMF),
Australia
The MOVE Organization (Family Africa)
The Sunny Center Foundation, New York
Think Centre, Singapore
Topanga Peace Alliance, USA
UCL - Union for Civil liberty, Thailand
Witness to Innocence
Women in Media,
Women of Color, UK
Women of Color, USA
Workers Assistance Center, Inc., Philippines
Workers Hub For Change(WH4C)
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