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Press
Releases ..............................
UN ESCAP News Services
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20 February
2003
Note to Editor: N/01/2003
Clarification
on Thailand
In response to recent articles that have been
published by a number of publications including the Bangkok
Post and The Nation on 12/02/03 and 13/02/03, in which it was
reported that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had
asked to send a special representative to Thailand following
reports of alleged extra-judicial killings of persons suspected
of trafficking in drugs, the Office of the High Commissioner
wishes to clarify that:
1) The High Commissioner has made no request to send a special
representative to Thailand to investigate these alleged extra-judicial
killings.
2) The Royal Thai Government had extended an invitation to Ms.
Hina Jilani, Special Representative of the Secretary General
of the United Nations on the situation of human rights defenders,
to visit the country and carry out a fact-finding mission.
3) In response to the invitation of the Royal Thai Government
Ms. Hina Jilani was expected to visit Thailand in February 2003.
However the mission was temporarily postponed following a request
of the Royal Thai Government.
4) The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and
the Royal Thai Government are currently coordinating to set
new dates for Ms. Hina Jilani's visit to Thailand, which will
focus on the situation of human rights defenders in the country
in accordance with the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility
of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and
Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms. <http://193.194.138.190/news/thailand.htm>
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Nicholas Howen, Regional Representative for
Asia-Pacific
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Email: howen@un.org
Tel: 66-2-288-1496/1235 · Fax: 66-2-288-3009 ·
www.unhchr.ch
UNESCAP, U.N. Building, Room A601, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok,
10200, Thailand
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