The discussions included the issues of providing education and public healthcare, and the voluntary repatriation of 71 Myanmar refugees last October. Meanwhile, a group of 13 NGOs and human rights organisations issued a four-page statement urging Thai authorities to seriously commit to a series of pledges in the arena. The NGOs, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, said any arbitrary and indefinite detention should be eliminated. Human Rights Watch said that he had been detained for more than a year on an illegal entry charge and that the UNHCR had rejected his refugee claim the day before his death. The NGOs said Thailand had forcibly returned asylum seekers based on the requests of foreign governments despite risks to the individuals’ human rights.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 10, 2017 11:37 UTC