A/HRC/42/30
concerns (THA 2/2017) to which the Government responded. 159 Ms. Charoensiri also
participated in the March 2017 session of the Human Rights Committee, where she
publicized the case of 14 student activists arrested for their alleged participation in peaceful
protests following the military coup in May 2014. It was reported that, if found guilty, Ms.
Charoensiri could face up to 15 years in jail and could be tried in a military court for
sedition. During the reporting period, Ms. Charoensiri’s trial was postponed for the 11th
time. On 22 October 2018, the Government provided information that the three criminal
complaints against Ms. Charoensiri were still being investigated. It noted that she was not
being charged in her capacity as a lawyer or human rights defender but on the possible
basis of being one of the principal offenders or accomplices in the alleged offenses. It also
noted that there was currently no legal proceeding against Ms. Charoensiri in the Military
Court.
101. The 2017 (A/HRC/36/31, para. 57 and Annex I, paras. 80–81) and 2018
(A/HRC/39/41, Annex II paras. 51–53) reports of the Secretary-General noted that grant
recipients of the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture were subject to a
legal complaint filed by the Royal Thai Army, dismissed in October 2017, for publishing a
report on cases of torture and ill-treatment by military in the Southern Border Provinces.
They were also harassed online. In September 2018, following the presentation of the 2018
report of the Secretary-General to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/39/41), it was
reported that Ms. Anghkhana Neelapaijit and other defenders were subjected to smearing
on social media. For example, a photo of Ms. Neelapaijit was circulated and she was
accused of manipulating the truth.
102. On 28 June 2019, the Government responded to the allegations providing detailed
comments. The Government requested further details on the intimidation and threats
against Mr. Chamroensuksakul and his family, in order to better understand how they relate
to his cooperation with the UN. The Government also noted that the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs has asked relevant agencies to verify this case and is waiting for more information.
Regarding the situation of Ms. Sirikan Charoensiri, the Government further updated that the
case had been postponed eleven times due to the procedures of the Office of the Attorney
General, in particular its criminal procedure codes. The next hearing of the indictment
decision is scheduled for late June 2019. Regarding the reported online smear campaign
against Ms. Angkhana Neelapaijit, the Government shared that she filed two libel
complaints on 7 June 2017 and 18 September 2017. The Royal Thai Police instructed the
competent authorities to treat them as urgent cases, which are still under investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest that the incidents involve fake Facebook accounts.
27.
United Arab Emirates
103. The case of Mr. Ahmed Mansoor, advisor to the Gulf Centre for Human Rights and
Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division, was included in the 2018
(A/HRC/39/41, Annex, para. 55), 2017 (A/HRC/36/31, para. 60 and Annex, paras. 86–87)
and 2014 (A/HRC/27/38, para. 38) reports of the Secretary-General related to his
collaboration with the Human Rights Council, the special procedures, the UPR and the
treaty bodies. Mr. Mansoor was detained and experienced physical assaults, death threats,
and government surveillance. He had been subject to a travel ban from 2011 to prevent him
from engaging in person with United Nations human rights mechanisms. On 6 July 2018
the Government provided information to OHCHR, stating that Mr. Mansoor “was tried,
convicted and sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment” and is serving his sentence at the Al
Sadr penal institution with the right to an appeal.
104. On 4 January 2019, the spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Human Rights
expressed concern that the Court of State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court
had upheld a 10-year prison sentence and one-million dirham fine (about USD272,000)
159
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Response from Government:
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=33464.
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadFile?gId=33629.