Human Rights Organisation Writes to Thailand Prime Minister Calling for the Release of Detained Swedish Practitioner

Berne, May 19th 2003

Your Excellency,

Our human rights organisation, ACAT-Switzerland, which is affiliated to the International Federation FI.ACAT and has consultative status at the UN, is deeply concerned by the arrest of the Swedish citizen Mrs. Pirjo Svensson on April 29th 2003 in Bangkok. We have learned that Mrs. Svensson has been detained since that day without any charges and that the Thai authorities intend to revoke her visa and deport her. We would like to state very clearly that it is against international standards to keep a person in detention without any charge.

Mr. Prime Minister, we appeal to you to pay full attention to this case and seek cooperation with the relevant Ministries and administrative officials in order to release Mrs. Svensson as soon as possible and without any restrictions to her staying in Thailand.

We thank you for your support in the case of Mrs. Svensson and kindly ask you to inform us about any further steps your Government is taking to solve this problem.

Yours respectfully,

ACAT Switzerland

Bettina RYSER HUANCA
Secretary General

Copies also sent to:
Immigration Bureau, Bangkok, Thailand
Royal Embassy of Thailand, Liebefeld/Berne, Switzerland
Embassy of Sweden, Berne, Switzerland