Human right lawyer's wife demands action by DSI

Reacting to the Department of Special Investigation's activity in processing "political cases", Angkhana Neelapaijit, wife of human rights lawyer Somchai who was abducted by police officers in 2004, has written an open letter to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra calling for progress in her husband's case.

"I am writing this letter to you as you are the highest leader of the country and as you are in charge of DSI. I want to bring to your attention the ineffectiveness and unwillingness of the government and DSI to solve the case of Mr. Somchai. It is too obvious that in recent time, DSI has simply been concentrating on political cases, particularly cases against the opposition party while neglecting and not giving proper attention to cases that affect ordinary people, even though they are victims of human rights abuse perpetuated by government officers who side with the government," she said in the letter.

The prime minister is the ex officio chairperson of the Committee on Special Cases.

"I previously wrote to ask the Minister of Justice, Pol Gen Pracha Promnok regarding progress in the investigation of Somchai's case. He gave me a one-page summary prepared by DSI indicating that there has been no progress in the investigation or bringing the perpetrators to justice. This is despite the case having been handled by DSI for eight years," she said in the letter.

Angkhana reminded Yingluck in the letter of the prominence of Somchai's case, which garnered significant domestic and international attention.