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

Families of the victims of the incident known as Tak Bai massacre In April, he charged seven soldiers and government officials with murder, attempted murder and unlawful detention. Narathiwat Provincial Court formally accepted the case in August.

Although there was sufficient evidence for an indictment, the court said that the case could not continue because no suspect was arrested and brought to court, and as a result, the 20-year statute of limitations expired on Friday.

In the court’s statement, it was stated that its order did not mean the rejection of the charges against the suspects, on the grounds that the suspects “never entered into legal proceedings, but escaped until the statute of limitations expired.”

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

The case became famous because of the way the victims died. On 25 October 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 a few days earlier. The detainees, members of the official village defense force, were accused by police of giving the weapons to Muslim rebels, only to report them stolen.

Seven of the protesters were shot and killed after the demonstration turned violent. About 1,300 people were then rounded up, their hands tied, and loaded into trucks and stacked like firewood. By the time the vehicles reached the military base where they were taken to be detained, 78 people had died from crushing or suffocation. Many people were seriously injured or disabled due to crushing.

The deaths occurred shortly after a Muslim separatist insurgency broke out in Thailand’s southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala, the only Muslim-majority regions in the Buddhist-majority country.

Muslim residents have long complained of being treated as second-class citizens in Thailand, and separatist movements have been periodically active for decades. Violent repression increased discontent. The fight continues to date, but at a lower level.

Ratsada Manooratsada, who represents the victims’ families, told reporters outside court that while the outcome was awaited, the legal team would continue to pursue other alternatives, including investigating whether police officers deliberately delayed the trial until the case was nearly concluded. out of date.

“The statute of limitations in the memory of the nation will never have an expiration date,” he said.

UN Human Rights Council special rapporteurs last week issued a statement calling for the investigation and the pursuit of justice to continue beyond the statute of limitations; because “failing to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice is a violation of Thailand’s constitutional rights.” human rights obligations.”

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said last week that it was not possible to extend the validity of the case. He offered a formal apology to those affected, insisting that all relevant institutions were doing their best to ensure justice.

“We will do our best to prevent such an incident from happening again,” he said.