Maitree Chamroensuksakul
Maitree Chamroensuksakul is an ethnic Lahu human rights defender, citizen journalist and a member of the Rak Lahu Group, which works on documenting human rights violations against indigenous peoples and on their empowerment. He is seeking justice for the killing of Chaiyaphum Pasae, a 17-year-old ethnic Lahu human rights defender and an advocate for the rights of vulnerable ethnic minorities in Northern Thailand. Maitree Chamroensuksakul reported receiving a death threat and several other intimidations after Chaiyaphum Pasae was killed by the military during a checkpoint control on 17 March 2017.
Human rights defenders in Thailand face threats, physical assaults, arbitrary detention, judicial harassment, and extrajudicial killings. HRDs most at risk include those working with migrants, particularly along the border with Burma, those who are fighting for economic, social, and cultural (ESC) rights, and those working in the conflict zone of the three border provinces in Southern Thailand. The National Human Rights Commission of Thailand has documented 35 cases of extrajudicial killings of human rights defenders between 2003 – 2012, approximately 30 of whom were HRDs working on ESC rights. Many of these cases have not been properly investigated by the authorities.
