Rights group Fortify Rights has called for an independent investigation into the alleged torture and killing of a Myanmar national, Aung Ko Ko, by Thai Army soldiers near the Thailand-Myanmar border.
The organization’s new report, released on Thursday, detailed the January 2024 incident and accused Thai authorities of failing to hold the perpetrators accountable, instead convicting another Myanmar national in a possible cover-up.
“The horrific torture and killing of Aung Ko Ko cannot be allowed to go unanswered. The soldiers responsible for this should be brought to justice without delay,” said Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Fortify Rights.
“Despite the current lack of accountability for the military’s involvement in Aung Ko Ko’s killing, Thai authorities can reverse course and prevent impunity from taking hold. Our report is intended to help the authorities ensure justice in this case,” he added.
The 44-page report, Death at the Thai-Myanmar Border: The Detention, Torture, and Killing of Myanmar National Aung Ko Ko in Thailand, alleged that four Thai soldiers detained Aung Ko Ko on Jan. 12, 2024, in Mae Sot District, Tak Province.
Witnesses described how three of the soldiers beat him with bamboo sticks and a wooden pole during an interrogation. The beating left him bloodied and bruised, and he later succumbed to his injuries.
One eyewitness, identified as “M.L.” to protect his identity, recounted the violent scene: “After Aung Ko Ko finished speaking [in response to the questioning], the leader [of the soldiers] started beating him in front of us, using a bamboo stick repeatedly on the back and legs with such force that the bamboo stick eventually broke.”
“Then, he used a long, solid stick about 1.5 meters [almost five feet] long to continue until that stick also broke,” M.L. added.
Photographs of Aung Ko Ko’s body showed extensive bruising on his back, face, and limbs, as well as a deep cut on his elbow, according to Fortify Rights.
Aung Ko Ko, who lived in Thailand and served as a member of the Thai-trained village security force Chor Ror Bor, was reportedly targeted for wearing the force’s vest while being of Myanmar descent.
Foritfy Rights lamented that despite evidence pointing to the soldiers, Thai authorities charged and convicted another Myanmar national, 24-year-old Sirachuch—also a member of the Chor Ror Bor—as an accomplice to Aung Ko Ko’s death.
On Sept. 27, 2024, a Thai court sentenced Sirachuch to three years and four months in prison.
“Sirachuch’s conviction is a miscarriage of justice,” said Smith. “Available evidence indicates that the violent actions of at least three soldiers resulted in Aung Ko Ko’s death, yet Sirachuch is serving time for their actions.”
Fortify Rights called the police investigation into Aung Ko Ko’s death deeply flawed and highlighted concerns over a lack of accountability for military personnel involved in the killing.
The report is based on months of investigation in Mae Sot District, including interviews with eyewitnesses, local security volunteers, and human rights defenders.
Fortify Rights also reviewed autopsy reports, photographs, and other evidence, which the group submitted to Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Nov. 7.
Fortify Rights noted that Thai law provides penalties of up to 15 years in prison for public officials convicted of torture.
In a recent review by the U.N. Committee Against Torture, Thai officials reaffirmed their commitment to holding perpetrators accountable.
Aimon Siangyai, Director General of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department in Thailand’s Ministry of Justice, said, “No one will be immune from criminal liability for committing torture.”
The case has cast a spotlight on Thailand’s broader record of abuses against migrants and refugees, including allegations of extortion, detention, and physical violence by authorities.
Rights groups have documented these abuses for years, with some incidents leading to reforms, such as the 2017 conviction of a Thai Army lieutenant general in a major human trafficking trial.
Fortify Rights emphasized the urgency of accountability in the Aung Ko Ko case, particularly as Thailand prepares to join the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2025.
“As an incoming member of the Human Rights Council, Thailand’s leaders have a heightened responsibility to protect human rights,” said Smith. “Bringing Aung Ko Ko’s true killers to justice would be an important step toward protecting migrants and refugees—both groups suffering serious human rights violations in the country.”
The organization urged Thai authorities to act swiftly to ensure justice, stating that impunity in this case would send a dangerous message to perpetrators of human rights violations.
“As an incoming member of the Human Rights Council, Thailand’s leaders have a heightened responsibility to protect human rights,” said Smith.
“Bringing Aung Ko Ko’s true killers to justice would be an important step toward protecting migrants and refugees—both groups suffering serious human rights violations in the country,” he added.
