Thread: Statement: War Crimes Expert Joins Investigation of Bangkok Deaths

Now this is an interesting move......bringing in the big guns!

But of course Thakisn is nothing to do with the UDD....

Statement: War Crimes Expert Joines Investigation of Bangkok Deaths - Robert Amsterdam


Statement: War Crimes Expert Joines Investigation of Bangkok Deaths
The following is the latest press release on our firm's work in Thailand.

WAR CRIMES EXPERT JOINS INVESTIGATION OF BANGKOK DEATHS

BANGKOK, May 31, 2010: International war crimes expert Professor GJ Alexander Knoops has joined the international legal team investigating the Thai Government's killing of 80 pro-democracy demonstrators and onlookers in Bangkok in May and April, the investigation's leader, international lawyer Robert Amsterdam announced today.
Six of the bodies were found in a "safe haven" temple.

Professor Knoops, of Knoops & Partners, is a world authority on war crimes, state crimes against humanity and genocide. He is working on cases before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and the Special Court for Sierra-Leone, established by the United Nations and the Government of Sierra-Leone to "try those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed in the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996".

Amsterdam and Knoops have collaborated for many years and published a seminal article on Russia as a Dual State in 2006 in the Fordham International Law Journal. "Professor Knoops is a world authority on war crimes and international criminal law and critical to this investigation," Mr Amsterdam said.

Former Thai Prime Minister Dr Thaksin Shinawatra has hired Mr Amsterdam to investigate the killings and government breaches of international human rights and laws.

Dr Shinawatra was elected Prime Minister in 2001, scoring a landslide victory. He became the first Prime Minister in Thai history to serve a full term and introduced policies to alleviate rural poverty, including universal health care. His re-election in 2005 had the highest voter turnout in Thai history. A military coup on September 19, 2006 - while Dr Shinawatra was overseas - took control of the country and banned Dr Shinawatra's party and MPs. People in Thailand's north and north east have been fighting for the restoration of democracy and inclusive elections ever since. They took their protest to central Bangkok in April this year.

On several occasions in April and May, the Thai Government opened fire with live ammunition on the pro-democracy demonstration, killing at least 80 people, including onlookers and at least one foreign journalist, and injuring more than 1,000. Since May 19, the government's military has arrested at least 140 members and supporters of the pro-democracy Red Shirts and its United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) party. At least one Australian citizen, Conor Purcell, 30, and one British citizen, Jeff Savage, 48, have been arrested.

"The Thai junta's crackdown against its own people has not stopped," Mr Amsterdam said. "At least 140 people have been arrested. Most have been held for more than a week without charge and have been denied access to a lawyer, in breach of basic human rights and international law. The military-backed Abhisit regime is flagrantly breaching its obligations as a member of the international community and the United Nations Human Rights Council. It is thumbing its nose to the international community and trampling on the rights of its people."

Mr Amsterdam and Professor Knoops are, in part, assisting the UDD and Red Shirts' legal counsel in Bangkok and Thailand's north. The Thai-based legal team has learned that:

At least 140 members and supporters of the Red Shirts have been arrested and are being detained, most without charge.
One of the UDD leaders is being held in a military base in Prachuabkeereekan, 200km south of Bangkok. A prominent supporter, an academic, is being held in a military base in Saraburi, 200km north east of Bangkok. (The legal team is not releasing their names for fear they may be singled out for harsher treatment.) It is believed that the remaining 140 are being held in police stations across Bangkok and the north and north east, but there exact location is not known.
Many of the 140 detainees have been denied access to a lawyer, breaching international laws.

A further 50 people arrested in the days leading up to the crackdown on May 19 have been denied due process of law. Many of them have been brought before the courts, faced a summary trial, without access to a lawyer, and were sentenced to 18 months' jail. The Thai-based legal team will appeal.
Mr Amsterdam said the Thai military's use of its weapons was a gross violation of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials of 1990. The principles were adopted by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in September 1990.

For a guy that has been rumored broke or/and dead so many time in the past, our dear friend Mr T. seems to be very much alive and kicking.

"War Crime Expert" ? It doesn't sound good. Dear Abhi is a sweet talker but I don't think he will have the same success with international judges than with his Bangkok groupies.

Hmmm. Interesting, and unexpected. Abhisit might refuse him access to Thailand of course… but that won't look very good. It will play very well with the reds and create chaos in the yellows. Abhsit will have no choice but to deny him access and ride out the storm of international scorn. If Knoops gets inside Thailand he stands a chance of causing a very great deal of trouble, even though he won't get anywhere close to any army chiefs. Abhisit is going to find the pressure is on him to come clean and allow an independent and clean investigation, which he has already committed to, though of course he had his own in mind.


I rather think Markie is in a spot of bother politically with this, its going to be very hard for him to explain why he will not offer full co-operation to Knoops, and the international community is bound to be watching closely, especially in Europe.


Yes, on balance I would say this is a very smart move by Thaksin. Markie wont like it at all. It probably feels like a blowtorch up his bottom right now, politically he is fucked if he doesn't co-operate and if he does then he'll likely get buried.

Oh dear...

This is going to bring out the conspiracy proponents for sure. Mr. Knoop is a renowned and experienced law professor. He has a longtime relationship with Mr. Amsterdam. I think alot of people that had initially dismissed Mr. Amsterdam as a crackpot from Canada, didn't do their research as he is experienced and connected. He wouldn't have taken on Thaksin unless he felt there was some legitimacy. The same goes for the flying Dutchman. He's no commie. If anything, he is a conservative fellow.

Geert-Jan G. Knoops is a Professor of International Criminal Law at Utrecht University. He also practices in (International) Criminal Law at Knoops & Partners Advocaten and has appeared, and continues to act, as defence counsel before several international bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the ICTR, ICTY and Special Court for Sierra Leone. Currently he is acting as lead counsel before the ICTY, ICTR and the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Mr. Knoops is also admitted as defence counsel to the bar of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, as well as to the defence bar of the Cambodia Tribunal.
His doctoral dissertation of 1998 was entitled “Duress and law-finding” (Leiden University) and relates to a comparative study on the (International) Criminal Law defence of duress and the mental dimension of this. Mr. Knoops was awarded a second PhD in international law on 11 October 2004 at the National University of Ireland and his thesis was titled: “The Prosecution and Defence of Peacekeepers under International Criminal Law.”
Furthermore, Mr. Knoops holds the rank of Major (Reserve) in the Royal Netherlands Marines Corps and has been assigned as military legal advisor in several international military exercises.

Some of you may recall Mr. Knoop's name because he was involved in the defense of the UN peacekeepers sunsequent to the Sbrenica massacre.

BTW, check this out;



Mr Amsterdam and Professor Knoops are, in part, assisting the UDD and Red Shirts’ legal counsel in Bangkok and Thailand’s north. The Thai-based legal team has learned that:

• At least 140 members and supporters of the Red Shirts have been arrested and are being detained, most without charge.
• One of the UDD leaders is being held in a military base in Prachuabkeereekan, 200km south of Bangkok. A prominent supporter, an academic, is being held in a military base in Saraburi, 200km north east of Bangkok. (The legal team is not releasing their names for fear they may be singled out for harsher treatment.) It is believed that the remaining 140 are being held in police stations across Bangkok and the north and north east, but there exact location is not known.
• Many of the 140 detainees have been denied access to a lawyer, breaching international laws.
• A further 50 people arrested in the days leading up to the crackdown on May 19 have been denied due process of law. Many of them have been brought before the courts, faced a summary trial, without access to a lawyer, and were sentenced to 18 months’ jail. The Thai-based legal team will appeal.

Mr Amsterdam said the Thai military’s use of its weapons was a gross violation of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials of 1990. The principles were adopted by the Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in September 1990.

This should give you an idea where the defense is headed. Mr. Abhisit, is going to be very embarrassed. The entry of Dr. Knoops will indeed bring in some heavy hitters in the international community. Dr. Knoops is a heavy hitter and carries clout in the developing world.