Myanmar to appeal against workers' death sentences by Thai court

Myanmar authorities will appeal against death sentences on two Myanmar citizens for murder of two British backpackers in Southern Thailand last year, said U Ye Htut, Presidential Spokesperson on Thursday.

The appeal will be made to the Thai High court within a month and coordination will be made with Lawyers' council, Myanmar Embassy in Thailand and Myanmar's civil society organizations in Thailand before Jan. 11 next year.

"If necessary, we will continue to appeal to Thai King's Council for commute on the two Myanmar citizens," U Ye Htut said.

U Ye Htut reiterated that Myanmar government will deal with the case through diplomatic means without interfering Thai sovereignty and free judiciary system.

The court on the resort island of Samui sentenced the two 22-year-old Myanmar workers to death for rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, as well as the killing of David Miller in mid-September 2014. Both victims were in their early 20s.

The defendants, who were arrested two weeks after the murders, also got two-year imprisonment for robbery and illegal entry.

The suspects had initially confessed to killing two British nationals on the beach of Koh Tao last September, but later retracted their confessions, claiming they had been coerced by police. Police have denied the accusation.

Forensic evidences, such as DNA samples collected from cigarette butts found near the victims' bodies, linked the suspects to the case, according to local authorities.

But defense attorneys have insisted the DNA evidence is flawed. It remains unknown if the attorneys will appeal. Endit