Two pro-democracy protesters on Wednesday complained to the Department of Special Investigation that they were beaten up by police while being detained at Din Daeng police station on Oct 29.
They asked the DSI to accept their complaint for investigation.
Veerapap Wongsaman and Atthasit Nussa were accompanied by Preeda Nakpiew, a lawyer of the Cross Cultural Foundation, when they filed the complaint with Pol Maj Woranan Srilam, a DSI deputy spokesman.
Mr Veerapap said that on the night of Oct 29 he and other protesters took part in an activity in remembrance of Warit Somnoy, a 15-year-old protester who was shot during a demonstration in front of Din Daeng police station in August and died of his wound in October.
While he was spray painting a message on the road, a spirit shrine at the police station was set on fire. He paused briefly to take a look and then resumed writing his message.
He was suddenly grabbed forcibly by policemen in plain clothes and taken to an interrogation room in the police station. He was angry, and on the way to the room he punched one of the policemen.
In the room, he found Mr Atthasit had also been taken there. Both of them were then beaten up and tortured and severely injured, he said.
Mr Veerapap said he wanted the DSI to accept his complaint for investigation. He did not trust the police to investigate it.
Mr Atthasit said he had earlier filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division, but they refused to take it up, saying the alleged mistreatment did not meet the criteria for the CSD to investigate.
He then filed a complaint with Din Daeng police, and it was still being considered.
Like Mr Veerapap, Mr Atthasit said he wanted the case to be handled by the DSI.
Both handed over to the DSI doctors' letters certifying to their injuries.
Pol Maj Waranan said the DSI's Bureau of Special Case Management would examine the documents filed by the two young men before forwarding them to the Bureau of Security Crime for consideration.
