UN Joins Growing Calls to Locate Disappeared Activist

Wanchalearm Satsaksit.

BANGKOK — The United Nations issued a letter urging the Cambodian authorities to locate a missing Thai fugitive activist who disappeared in Phnom Penh last week.

Sitanan Satsaksit, sister of missing activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit, told the media Wednesday that the UN’s Committee on Enforced Disappearances received her request to find her missing brother. The letter, released by the U.N. high commissioner on human rights, marked the case as “Urgent.” 

“In view of the information provided, the Committee sent a note verbale to the State party on 10 June 2020 requesting its immediate urgent action in compliance with article 30 of the Convention,” the letter says. 

Prachatai reported that the U.N. gave a time limit to the Cambodian government to reply within two weeks. 

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The U.N. is the most high profile organization calling for an explanation over Wanchalearm’s disappearance so far. 

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Thailand’s office of the U.N. agency on refugees and its Thai goodwill ambassador, Praya “Pu” Lundberg, recently came under fire for their refusal to speak up about the alleged abduction.

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