Thai murder: torture fears over accused

Friday 10 October 2014

Thailand’s Human Rights Commissioner is due to meet the suspects arrested over the brutal murders of a Jerseyman and a young woman from the UK over fears they were tortured into a confession.

A petition on change.org has amassed nearly 50,000 signatures requesting an independent investigation into the horrific murders of David Miller (24) and Hannah Witheridge (23) three weeks ago.

Two Burmese workers have apparently confessed to the murders on the diving resort island of Koh Tao, and carried out a re-enactment of the crime before the world’s media a week ago.

But the petition says that there are concerns about the case, from the way the Royal Thai Police seemed eager to pin the blame on foreigners, to the release of conflicting reports, to the way that the crime scene was treated by investigators.

Last week, it was announced that two Burmese workers – named as Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htunin media reports – had admitted the murders. Police had previously said they believe that more than one person was involved in the attacks.

The petition, which began less than a week ago, had 47,700 signatures at the last count. In the most recent updates the petition organizer Christopher Harkins says that a Burmese lawyer who met the pair said that they had bruises consistent with torture, and that Thailand’s Human Rights Commissioner is heading to Koh Tao to meet them.

The petition concludes: “We demand a full independent investigation to be conducted by the government of the United Kingdom into these deaths.

“This is in the hope that the families of these victims may know justice has been served, and that the deaths of two more possible innocents might be avoided.”

The petition can be viewed here.