"The Government of Thailand should establish a public trust fund to provide financial reparations for tens of thousands of Rohingya survivors of human trafficking through Thailand from 2012 to 2015, said Fortify Rights today. The Thai judicial system should also ensure all perpetrators responsible for the mass-scale trafficking of Rohingya refugees and others are held legally accountable. The Criminal Court Division for Human Trafficking in Bangkok is expected to issue decisions tomorrow in response to appeals submitted by the prosecution and the defense in the largest human trafficking case in Thailand’s history, which concluded in July 2017. “The lower court set an important precedent in Thailand and the region by convicting scores of human traffickers involved in horrific abuses against Rohingya refugees. These earlier convictions demonstrated a welcomed commitment to combatting trafficking,” said Amy Smith, Executive Director of Fortify Rights. “The court and the government now have an opportunity to reiterate the message that there are severe consequences for human trafficking and that survivors will be protected and compensated.” The prosecutor and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security as co-plaintiffs submitted an appeal to the court, calling for increased sentences against those convicted in 2017 for trafficking Rohingya and others and reconsideration of the cases against 28 defendants dismissed by the lower court. The defendants also submitted an appeal seeking a reduction in the sentences imposed by the lower court..."