Rani Bibi with her husband, Mukhtar Masih
Christian Malik our Lead officer on Thailand has uncovered two more cases of Pakistani Christians Asylum Seekers who have had to pay bribes to avoid incarceration as the Royal Thai Authorities continue to intimidate them through temporary closures in the bail process for detainees.
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Mukhtar Masih, aged 53, had been detained in Bangkok’s brutal and degrading Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) but was released on bail in January 2016. However in late April, Mukhtar Masih and his wife Rani Bibi, aged 52, were in the Wat Dan Samrong 38 District which is near Bangkok City, waiting for a bus when they were approached by local Police and asked for identity documents.
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Rani Bibi was arrested but Mukhtar was allowed to go free as he had already been detained and freed via the bail process and payment of a 1000, which
provided him with a two year protection from re-arrest. Police officers took Rani to Samrong Police Station where she was to be held for four days
until her court hearing for overstaying her visa.
Mukhtar pleaded with the police to release his wife who has health complications including diabetes that would not be treated whilst in jail or at
the infamous IDC, where several people have already died from lack of medical support and access to medicines. but was ignored. Instead Mukhtar was
asked to provide off the record money for the release of his wife, in essence a bribe.
Fearing his wife would be kept in the alarmingly brutal conditions he had suffered with no certainty as to whether she would be released on bail, due
to recent bail procedure cancellation – he found himself at his wits end. Desperate to avoid her detention he begged various friends for a short term
loan so he could free his wife. Eventually the money was arranged through the help of a very supportive Pak-Christian asylum community. Mukhtar went
to the police and Rani was released after the agreed sum of £400 was handed over to them. BPCA were aware of the bribe procedure but our rules
and procedures do not permit us to pay bribes so we had to refrain from helping in this matter.
After Rani’s release Mukhtar Masih contacted the BPCA again. He said: “I was really worried for my wife. We don’t have any children or relatives in Bangkok and are living on our own in Bangkok. I couldn’t let her go to jail. I would have sold myself to get my wife out of that horrific place. I am glad that now she is with me but now I have to return the money that I took as a loan to free her. I request assistance to help me cover this loan so that I don’t have to feel humiliation every day.”
On the same day, Farhan, a Pakistani Christian boy in his early 20’s was arrested from Bearing, another suburb of Bangkok. Police released Farhan after
receiving money “under the table”.
Both these stories underline a growing concern amongst humanitarian agencies that these extremely long administrative temporary bail cancellations,
have no real purpose than to destabilize the asylum seeker communities in Thailand. The process causes great distress to the detainees who cannot be
freed and can spend several months receiving minimal nutrition in cells that are so cramped inmates are forced to sleep by lying over one another,
crouch or stand up in extreme cases. All inmates complain about the harsh manner in which they are spoken too and the lack of availability of medical
care and medicines, all of which are human rights violations that are being ignored.
Trying to avoid the brutal incarceration is an expensive business, bribes of up to £400 are required and those fortunate to pay bail when the system
is in operation need to find £1000, which charities cover for lucky individuals. Sadly for those that pay bribes there is no guarantee that they will
not be arrested again and several individuals have already reported having paid several bribes to maintain their freedom.
The lack of desire to provide sanctuary for these asylum seekers by the Royal Thai Authorities is disturbing, but their cruel treatment has had little
effect but to create an increase in illicit activity by their police force. In reflection, there are no swathes of Pakistani Christians fleeing back
to Pakistan a notion that simply fills them with terror. Yet this has not changed the manner in which the draconian authorities target the innocent
victims seeking safety in their country. This situation is exacerbated by a completely insouciant United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR),
who delay the asylum applications, interviews and refugee determination status process. The protracted process is currently taking between 4 – 10 years
and leaves victims at the mercy of the cruel authorities operating in Thailand.
Irrespective of these pressures, Pak-Chrisian asylum seekers simply put up with the shenanigans of a Government desperate to demoralise and breakdown
their resolve by seeking God. Urdu churches are growing in size and proliferating as Christians direct their pleas to their eternal God. Believing
he has the power to shake such authorities into action and benevolence. Seven deaths in the IDC alone this year is evidence that these asylum seekers
are genuine but the callous Royal Thai government continues to ignore their plight.
The BPCA does not and will not pay bribes to help release victims. But in the case of the couple we would like to pay of the ‘loan’ they have received
from kindly donors within their tight community. We do not have a budget set aside for this so we have had to create a new fund that can be used to
help them and other innocent victims caught up in a similar torturous situation. If you would like to contribute to help in this manner then please
use this link to donate (click here). Please reference the payment ‘Loans
for freedom’
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Rani Bibi, after she was released from Police station.