Bangkok, Thailand: Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has received reports today (September 10, 2015) of massive immigration arrests of Pakistan Christian refugees seeking asylum, by the Thai police and the Thai army. Reports indicate that these Thai authorities raided the Delight H condominium in Bangkok, and they arrested between 250 to 500 Pakistan Christian asylum seekers. Reports indicate that the Thai authorities have been taking women, children, elderly, and men among the immigration arrests today, and taking these arrested Pakistan Christian asylum seekers to the over-crowded Immigration Detention Centre (IDC).
Pakistan Christians fled to Thailand to escape oppressive conditions in Pakistan where they were living under threats by extremists, who threatened violence against them for their Christian religion, including violence against Pakistan Christian churches and homes. Pakistan Christians have frequently been attacked by extremists who seek to deny their religious freedom and seek to persecute and oppress them. This has include arrests and of Pakistan Christians by the use of a “blasphemy” law, which extremists can use to harass and persecute others. Reports state that another Pakistan Christian Pervaiz Masih was reportedly arrested in Punjab, Pakistan recently (September 1, 2015) in Pakistan on a false blasphemy charge created to harass him for his religious freedom. The environment of Pakistan against Christians and specific threats to many Pakistan Christian individuals and their families have led them to flee to Thailand for asylum.
UPDATE: Smartphones of the arrested refugees were taken by Thailand immigration authorities. Thailand immigration authorities are going to release breastfeeding mothers after negotiations with UNHCR staff. R.E.A.L. will continue to provide updates as we receive reports.
==========================
Government and Refugee Community Points of Contacts
The following are points of contact that we have reached on this topic within the government and the refugee community. These are being shared in the hopes that other human rights activists will also follow up with these individuals to make it clear that this is a shared concern for action on this urgent issue. If you have other useful / productive government contacts, please let us know at usa@realcourage.org, so that we can update this information.
Kingdom of Thailand
The Secretariat of the Prime Minister
Government House, 1 Phitsanulok Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300
General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister
FAX: 66 2 282 5131
Kingdom of Thailand
IMMIGRATION DIVISION 1
Chalermprakiat Government Complex
120 MOO 3, CHAENGWATTANA ROAD,SOI 7,
LAKSI, BANGKOK. 10210
Bangkok Immigration Comment Web Site
http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/base.php?page=comment
UNHCR Regional Representative in Thailand
3rd Floor, United Nations Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, 10200 Bangkok, Thailand
Telephone: 66 2 288 1858
FAX: 66 2 280 0555
Email: thaba@unhcr.org
UNHCR, New York: The Director of UNHCR Office in New York, P.O. Box 20 Grand NY 10017, Grand Central, 10017 New York, NY, United States,
Telephone: 1-212-963-0032
Fax: 1-212-963-0074
Email: usane@unhcr.org
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Genève 2 Dépôt
Suisse (Switzerland)
Telephone: +41 22 739 8111
FAX: +41 22 739 7377
===========================================