Headline: Niece of soldier killed at base files abuse complaint against nine police
Ref: THE NATION Issued date 25 November 2016 by KAMPANAT LA-AONG
A YOUNG WOMAN whose soldier uncle died in a military camp has lodged a complaint against nine policemen for alleged “abuse of authority” in arresting her.
Narissarawan Kaewnopparat, 25, said she believed she had been subjected to unfair treatment for speaking up against her uncle’s alleged attackers.
Narissawran’s uncle, Private Wichien Pheuksom, was allegedly beaten to death during military training in Narathiwat province in 2011, at the age of 26 years old.
Narissawran has said she is trying to seek justice for her uncle. But after speaking up, she was arrested at her office at the Social Development and Human Security Ministry on July 26.
She was charged after one of the soldiers, Major Phuri Pheksophol, filed a defamation complaint against her.
“It’s unfair. Police arrested me without sending me a summons first. Had I received the summons, I would have answered to it,” Narissarawan said.
She lodged a complaint against nine policemen with the Crime Suppression Division yesterday. Of them, some are based at the Makkasan Police Station in Bangkok and some are based at the Muang Narathiwat Police Station in Narathiwat province.
“They should face legal action for their abuse of authority,” said Narissarawan, who is now out on bail.
She also said police had rushed to submit the case against her to public prosecutors.
While defending herself in the defamation case, Narissarawan has continued to seek justice for her uncle.
She also lodged a petition yesterday with the Royal Thai Army, urging it to suspend all the soldiers who were allegedly involved her uncle’s death.
The Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), which has considered Wichien’s case, ruled that there were grounds to suspect that 10 soldiers could have been involved in the beating, which was reportedly meted out because Wichien tried to desert the Army.