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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Thailand murder suspects retract confessions | Thailand murder suspects retract confessions |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Two Burmese men accused of killing British tourists on the Thai island of Koh Tao have retracted their confessions, their lawyers say. | Two Burmese men accused of killing British tourists on the Thai island of Koh Tao have retracted their confessions, their lawyers say. |
| The pair now say they did not commit the murders and did not see what happened, according to their lawyers. | The pair now say they did not commit the murders and did not see what happened, according to their lawyers. |
| The bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were discovered on a beach in September. | The bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were discovered on a beach in September. |
| The UK has expressed concern about the investigation - but Thai police say they have a "perfect" case. | The UK has expressed concern about the investigation - but Thai police say they have a "perfect" case. |
| Thailand's National Human Rights Commission said on Monday that it had found evidence that the two suspects, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, were physically abused by the police. | Thailand's National Human Rights Commission said on Monday that it had found evidence that the two suspects, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, were physically abused by the police. |
| Both are migrant workers from Myanmar, also known as Burma, and were named as suspects in the weeks following the discovery of the two tourists' bodies. | |
| The men are charged with conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to rape, and robbery, and could face the death penalty if found guilty. | The men are charged with conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to rape, and robbery, and could face the death penalty if found guilty. |
| Defence lawyers for the men were provided by a migrant worker support group in Thailand. | Defence lawyers for the men were provided by a migrant worker support group in Thailand. |
| Post-mortem examinations found Mr Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Ms Witheridge died from head wounds. | Post-mortem examinations found Mr Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Ms Witheridge died from head wounds. |
| 'Scapegoats' | |
| The investigation into their deaths has been widely criticised and over the weekend it was announced that police from the UK would be flying out to assist with the investigation. | |
| Last week the Foreign Office summoned the Thai charge d'affaires to express concern about how the case was progressing. | |
| Criticism has been voiced about the failure to seal off the crime scene after the killings, and about an early police claim that no Thai person could have committed such an act. | |
| The mother of one of the suspects has said they are being made scapegoats by the Thai police for the murders. | |
| Mr Zaw's mother, Phyu Shwe Nu, said the case against her son had been fixed. | |
| Police say DNA found on Ms Witheridge matches samples taken from the men. | |
| Koh Tao |