ICCPR Article 2: Human Rights Implementation.pdf

The extrajudicial killing of over 2000 people accused of involvement in the drug trade in Thailand between February and April of this year is the subject of a special report in this edition of article 2. The campaign was initiated by a raft of orders issued by the Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and was characterized by comments from the Prime Minister and his subordinates that the lives of alleged drug dealers are worthless. The Prime Minister created a special category of persons, alleged drug dealers, for whom the provisions of the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) no longer applied, allowing for the abandonment of ordinary criminal procedure. This raises concerns that the killings may amount to a crime against humanity under article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The report includes translations of the Prime Minister's orders, a chronology of events, case studies of killings, and comments on the implications for human rights and the rule of law in Thailand. The report is dedicated to the victims of the 'war on drugs' and reaffirms their right to due process in accordance with their country's Constitution and international law.