Gambling tycoon abused in Thai prison after saying he was spying on to China, lawyers say Reuters

Poppy McPherson and Pan Wongcha-in

Bangkok (Reuters) -In prison in extradition in China, he received a “inhumane treatment” in a Thai prison after saying he was Chinese spy, his lawyers said Interpol, saying that they were afraid for his life.

China born in China Zhijiang, who has citizenship in Cambodia, has suffered violence that has not been able to stand and received unwanted visits to Chinese officials, lawyers said in a letter to the international police organization, seen by Reuters.

Takun was arrested in Bangkok in 2022 at an international order and an interpol order of notification sought by Beijing, which accuses him of conducting illegal internet gambling operations in Southeast Asia. She and his lawyers said the case was politically motivated.

In his letter to Interpol, from January 9 and shared with Reuters, lawyers said he had been detained in a solitary prison, shackles, deny medical treatment due to spinal injury and denied contact with his family.

Tykoon was subjected to “particularly inhuman treatment” and the violation of human rights “institutional nature”, according to lawyers, Clara Gerard-Rodriguez and Pierre-Olivier Sur from FTMS Avocats.

“These elements bring us to a serious fear of our client’s life,” lawyers added.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry told Reuters in a statement that the Chinese nationals and “a key figure in an internet gambling and crimes of fraud in telecommunications”, saying that the evidence against him is “final”.

He welcomed the decision of Thai courts to extradite him, calling a step important to achieve in Thai-Kine cooperation for law enforcement. Those lawyers complain about the extradition verdict.

The Thai Ministry of Justice refused to comment, referring to the questions to the Ministry of Repair, which he did not immediately answer.

Interpol Red Notice must be in accordance with the rules of the organization, “according to which the activity of political, military, religious or racial nature is strictly forbidden,” said Interpol spokesman, refusing to comment on.

Trade unions

Last year, she said that his detention followed after refusing to obey the commands of the Chinese authorities, which he said he had instructed him to develop a city on the Thai-Myanmar border.

“They wanted a colony. I wanted to do a job,” she told the Al Jazeera network in a documentary aired on September 26.

China increased the pressure on the states of Southeast Asia to break the gambling gangs and fraud in Chinese origin, since this month launched a fiery storm on social networks and a cross -border rescue of a Chinese actor.

The region has become a magnet for gambling operations in recent years, and some include fraud and trade in people by criminal unions, many of which are of Chinese origin.

For days after the documentary of Al Jazeera was broadcast, he was transferred to the prison of maximum security in Bangkok, who holds people who serve long penalties and to death, his lawyers said.

At the end of October, lawyers said, they “brutally solved” officers and prisoners who accused him of violating the discipline. Unable to walk or stand, now he uses a wheelchair, they said. The incident is also described in a police report seen by Reuters.

Twice in December, lawyers said, officials of the Chinese Embassy visited her in prison against his will, wanting to convince him to return to China. At one meeting, they said, officials suggested that his family and friends might need the help of the embassy, ​​which he interpreted as a threat.

Empire

She’s lawyers seek to abolish Interpol red notification seeking his extradition.

“The muddy abuse of the process and rough violation of the human rights committed by China undermines international court cooperation and if it itself should be a barrier to extradition,” Gerard-Rodriguez told Reuters.

Reuters could not check the claims on his own.

At the time of his arrest, she developed a casino, a fun and tourist complex of $ 15 billion called SHWE KOKKO on the Mjanmar-Thai border. Group, Yatai International Holdings Group, also had investments in Cambodia and Philippines.

The company denied involvement in any criminal activity, including trafficking in humans.

Takun told Al Jazeera that the Chinese Ministry of State Security was recruited in the Philippines, the main agency supervised the foreign intelligence service, in exchange for the fall of the criminal case against him.

The Chinese Ministry of State Security could not be obtained with a commentary request.

She said he worked along with former Mayor Filipin, Alice Guo, also known as Chinese national guo Hua Ping. It was removed from its duties for non -illuminated behavior and last year explored the Philippine Senate because of potential ties with gambling operations at sea targeting Chinese clients.

Guo, faced with accusations for launching vaccinations and money laundering, denied that the Chinese spy and rejected other charges as malicious.