A Thai court drops a case over the deaths of Muslim protesters in 2004

BANGKOK (AP) — A court in southern Thailand on Monday dropped a case against former state security personnel and officials over the deaths of 85 Muslim protesters in 2004, saying none of the suspects had been apprehended.

Families of the victims of what is known as the Tak Bai massacre in April accused seven soldiers and government officials of murder, attempted murder and unlawful detention. The Narathiwat Provincial Court formally accepted the case in August.

While there was enough evidence for an indictment, the court said the case was unable to proceed as no suspects were arrested and brought to the court, and as a result, the 20-year statute of limitations expired on Friday.

The court’s statement noted that its order is not a dismissal of the charges against the suspects, as they “had never entered the legal proceedings, but fled until the statute of limitations expired.”

One of those named is Pisal Wattanawongkiri, commander of the 4th Army Region at the time of the incident. At the time of indictment in August, he was a lawmaker of the ruling Pheu Thai party. The party said he filed a medical leave to seek treatment abroad, and resigned from the party earlier this month. Other suspects were also believed to have left the country after the indictment.

The case earned notoriety because of the manner in which the victims died. On Oct. 25, 2004, thousands of protesters gathered at the police station in Narathiwat’s Tak Bai district to demand the release of six Muslim men who had been detained several days earlier. The detainees, members of an official village defense force, were accused by police of handing over weapons to Muslim insurgents, but reporting them stolen.

Seven of the protesters were shot dead after the