Adoption of the report on the UPR - Oral statement

23/09/2016
Statement

Mr. President,

FIDH and its member organizations in Thailand, UCL and iLaw, wish to express their disappointment over Thailand’s overall response to the recommendations it received during its second UPR.

While we acknowledge that Thailand accepted 75% of the recommendations it received, the Thai government failed to make commitments towards the implementation of key recommendations concerning: the right to liberty; freedom of opinion and expression; freedom of peaceful assembly; the right to a fair trial; the death penalty; and the ratification of international instruments.

Among the numerous recommendations that did not garner the Thai government’s support, seven called for the repeal or amendment of Article 112 of the Criminal Code (lèse-majesté) and to end its use to limit freedom of expression. The government also refused to accept several recommendations that called for the repeal of orders issued by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) that are inconsistent with Thailand’s international human rights obligations.

Considering the severe deterioration of Thailand’s human rights situation since the 2014 military coup, the government’s refusal to address recommendations on key civil and political rights is extremely troubling.

It is regrettable that the Thai government used the UPR to justify ongoing human rights violations instead of making commitments to address them. The government’s dismissal of crucial recommendations shows its contempt not only for the UPR process but also for Thailand’s international human rights obligations.

We reiterate our call on the Thai government to lift all restrictions on the enjoyment of fundamental civil and political rights in accordance with the recommendations it received and in compliance with its obligations under core international human rights instruments.

Thank you.

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