DSI files 4 charges against 8 Aranyaprathet Police Officers under Anti-Torture Law and Criminal Code for Allegedly Coercing or Torturing Uncle Piak

            According to the special case investigation team of the Justice Enhancement Affairs Bureau, a letter has been issued summoning police officers from Aranyaprathet Police Station to be informed of the charges against them in case of allegations that they coerced or tortured Mr. Panya, or "Uncle Piak", into confessing to the murder of Mrs. Buaphan Tansoo, or "Aunt Buaphan", who was fatally assaulted by a group of youths. The case has been regarded as a special case (Special Case No. 9/2567) as it falls under the violations of the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, B.E. 2565 (2022).

            On May 9, 2024, the 8 Aranyaprathet police officers, who were involved in the custody of Mr. Panya or Uncle Piak, had come to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to acknowledge their charges. Mr. Angsuket Wisutvatthansak, Director of the Justice Enhancement Affairs Bureau, along with the special case investigation team and Mr. Watcharin Phanurat, the Deputy Director General of the Investigation Department and Head of the Working Group on monitoring or supervising the investigation, Office of the Attorney General, and a team of public prosecutors jointly conducted the notification of charge and interrogations of the 8 Aranyaprathet police officers, comprising 5 commissioned officers and 3 non-commissioned officers, who were charged with “being state officials who jointly performed or failed to perform their duties unlawfully which lead to causing damage to others or the public, jointly committed cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or violating human dignity; jointly committed enforced disappearance, jointly coerced others to act or omit from action or to be subject to or dominated by a person or thing threatening the life, body and freedom of such person, by cooperating with 5 people or more and jointly put others into unlawful detention or acted in any forms to refrain others from owning freedom of their bodies” which violates the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, B.E. 2565 (2022) and the Criminal Code. The 8 police officers denied all the charges that have been made against them. The special case investigation team allowed the accused police officers to execute their rights to present facts and evidence to prove their innocence in accordance with the law. The 8 accused police officers were going to prepare statement of clarification and submit documentary evidence to the special case investigation team by May 27, 2024.

            After this, the special case investigation team will collect facts and evidence. Once the investigation is complete, the investigation file will be sent to the public prosecutors for further proceedings under the final paragraph of Section 31 of the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act and the investigation team will also notify the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

            Special Case No. 9/2567, the case of an alleged forced or tortured confession of Mr. Panya or "Uncle Piak" in the murder case of Mrs. Buaphan Tansoo or "Aunt Buaphan" who was assaulted to death by a group of youths, is the first special case that the Department of Special Investigation has investigated under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, B.E. 2565 (2022). It is in line with the policy of Police Major Yutthana Praedam, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation, Acting Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation, who assigned the Bureau of Justice Enhancement Affairs to expedite the investigation to ensure justice for all parties due to the significant impact on human rights and the justice system of this special case.