Country Watch
tion – namely only those crimes committed by Spanish residents or perpetrated upon Spanish nationals outside Spain’s territorial vicinity can be prosecuted by the State. Further, interest groups may no longer pursue justice in this mode – being restricted to victims and prosecutors. This move took place one day after a Spanish court directed the Interpol to arrest Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese President, as well as four Chinese gov- ernment officials in light of alleged human rights violations in Tibet.
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Spanish judges, such as Judge Garzon, have predictably condemned this move by the Span- ish government. Organizations such as Amnesty International also stated it is a move in the oppo- site direction for Spain, otherwise the “the trail- blazer” and a “beacon of hope” of international justice in Latin America. The head of the Span- ish association Judges for Democracy released a statement reflecting very sharply the existing skewed balance of power in the world arena. He stated that Spain used universal jurisdiction to limit the influence of powerful countries, and now being banned, there is no longer a limitation on the same.
* Submitted by Sanya Samtani
Thai Interim Constitution Does Little to Provide Power to the People
Thailand’s king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, approved an interim constitution in July 2014. This approval is another step in coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha’s efforts to rebuild the country’s politi- cal and governmental structure since the junta’s takeover on May 22. Prior to the coup, the South- east Asian nation had experienced six months of political unrest with legislators unable to agree on anything and protestors taking to the streets calling for the removal of the Pheu Thai govern- ment. The military imposed two days of martial law followed by a formal announcement that the military had taken control of the civil government
and the constitution suspended after the death of 28 people and several hundred injured.
With the King’s blessing in-hand, General Prayuth is now able to form the national legislature, cre- ate an interim government, and draft a long-last- ing constitution for the country.
While the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is pitching the constitution as a step to- wards restoring democracy, it is seen by many both in and out of Thailand as a move closer to- wards a long-term dictatorship. The interim con- stitution grants virtually unchecked power to the new regime including immunity from any crimes the NCPO or its agents may have committed in removing the previous government from power, as well as any future acts the NCPO deems nec- essary. The NCPO seeks immunity as it has been accused of arbitrarily detaining its opponents. These accusations are coupled with reports of mental and physical torture; actions that do lit- tle to build the confidence and trust of the Thai people. Thailand’s military however, remains defi- ant despite calls for an independent investigation into these allegations.
Calm has returned to the streets of Bangkok but, martial law continues. Many businesses across the country are returning to a semblance of nor- malcy following months of protests that froze the country, but with an unelected government, their long-term future is in question.
In sum, the interim constitution provides a façade of democracy while installing just the opposite. A one party system has been created that stands to control virtually every aspect of society. The prime minister, legislature, and reform council are all handpicked by the NCPO. The courts are con- trolled by the NCPO, as well. Under section 40 of the Constitution, a royal decree was recently issued to provide monetary benefits for govern- ment leaders of between $3,752 and $3,930 USD per month while the average monthly wage is closer to $414 USD per month. It is ironic that a
ILSA Quarterly » volume 23 » issue 1 » October 2014
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