Senator Thewarat Demands Justice Minister Update on 2010 Dispersal Cases as Statute of Limitations Looms
Senator Thewarat pressed the Justice Minister on 181 stalled cases from the 2010 UDD protest dispersal that killed 94 people, warning that statutes of limitations could expire before victims see justice as the statute clock runs out.
On May 11, 2025, at Parliament, Senator Thewarat Maneechai formally questioned Police General Rutthapol Naovarot, Justice Minister, regarding the status and progress of cases involving assault on civilians and state officials during the National United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) protests of April-May 2010, and measures to prevent cases from expiring before victims receive justice.
Thewarat noted that 16 years have passed since the dispersal of those protests, which resulted in 94 deaths including state officials, civilians, protesters, and humanitarian volunteers. While initial investigations led to some prosecutions, the process stalled after the 2014 coup.
Thewarat expressed concern that 181 cases remain under investigation by the Special Cases Investigation Division (DSI), with only 13 prosecuted, 16 dismissed, and 140 suspended. He questioned the current status of the 13 cases and whether the Justice Ministry had a clear policy to prevent these cases from expiring as occurred with the earlier 2004 Tak Bai incident.
Justice Minister Naovarot responded that 383 total complaints arose from the 2010 dispersal, divided into four categories: 156 terrorism cases, 25 cases of coercing government action, 181 assault cases, and 21 weapons-related cases. Of the 13 assault cases, DSI has completed investigations and forwarded 13 to prosecutors for indictment, which the minister divided into five subcategories for case management purposes.
