UN cautions Thai government against granting amnesty to human rights violators

GENEVA – The U.N.'s human rights office is urging Thailand to oppose a proposed amnesty law that could allow some serious human rights offenders to go unpunished.

Cecile Pouilly, spokeswoman for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, says the Thai bill being taken up this week could pardon people involved in abuses during the military crackdown on anti-government protesters in 2010.

She told reporters Tuesday in Geneva the Thai government must ensure any amnesty measure "excludes those who are responsible for human rights violations and to take steps to prosecute perpetrators of such violations."

Pouilly says Thailand's government would set an important precedent if it follows its own commission's recommendations and holds perpetrators accountable for some 90 deaths and injuries to thousands more people during the crackdown.