Migrants charged with murder of tourists on trial

Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin, both 21 years old, were presented before a court in Koh Samui in Thailand on Friday. The two migrant workers from Myanmar were accused of killing British tourists David Miller, 24 and of the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23 on September 15 on a beach in the island of Koh Tao.

Htun and Lin faced a number of charges, including murder, rape and robbery and if found guilty, they could face the death penalty.

Sloppy investigation

The arrest and trial of the two Burmese workers caused outrage among organizations fighting for migrant rights in Thailand, who accused the country's authorities of using the men as scapegoats.

The officers investigating the murders were charged with failing to secure the crime scene and releasing pictures of suspects who turned out to be innocent. Following reports that the Thai investigation had been sloppy, the British government sent representatives to Bangkok in November to review the police probe into the murders.

Migrant rights in question

The judge has set the next court date for July 8 next year, until which time the two will wait in jail. Rights activists lamented the long wait Htun and Lin had to endure before a verdict was pronounced. "The guys [the accused] say they will stay strong, but it's such a long time to wait," activist Andy Hall told the AFP news agency.

Around 2.5 million Burmese work in Thailand, usually as domestic servants or in manual labor industries like construction and fisheries. Most of these laborers, who often travel illegally to Thailand, are abused and mistreated by their employees and do not have any rights under local law.

The murders have further damaged Thailand's reputation as a tourist destination, after prolonged political protests in the country led to an army coup and the imposition of martial law in May this year.

mg/sb (AFP, AP)