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Pubdate: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 Source: Nation, The (Thailand) Copyright: 2004 Nation Multimedia Group Contact: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1963 Authors: Subhatra Bhumiprabhas, Pravit Rojanaphruk Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Thailand HUMAN RIGHTS: US REPORT SLAMS WAR ON DRUGS State Dept Says Nearly 1,200 Died in Police Custody The US State Department's 2003 Human Rights Report on Thailand is particularly critical of the Thaksin administration's war on drugs. Released yesterday, the report lists many areas of concern, such as the role of police, the killing of separatists, and freedom of expression. When US Ambassador Daryl Johnson was asked by The Nation to compare it with last year's, he said a key difference was the war on drugs. "If you want to take that as a judgement, then that's a judgement." He added that the report, which he said aimed to be balanced, had been submitted to the US Congress on Wednesday but was not tied to trade issues or trade sanctions. The report states that "there was a significant increase in killings of criminal suspects", adding that there were 1,386 narcotics-related deaths. "The government failed to investigate and prosecute vigorously those who committed such abuses, contributing to a climate of impunity." In February to April, the police made no arrests nearly all 1,228 narcotics-related deaths, leading "many observers to believe police were responsible for most of these deaths". The report states that a Thai court ruled the killing of a boy in a car driven by his mother during the war on drugs - involving three police - was "accidental and justified". During the first six months, 1,197 persons died in police custody. "There were reports that police tortured, beat, and otherwise abused detainees and prisoners, generally with impunity," the report says. The report also states that the "routine exoneration of police officers contributed to a climate of impunity that persisted in preventing any major changes in police behaviour. It also discouraged relatives of victims from pressing for prosecution". It adds that a culture of corruption persists in many parts of the bureaucracy. On freedom of expression, it notes that self-censorship was "common and vigorous". "There were attempts by the government to curb journalists or publications perceived to be critical of government officials or their families - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake