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Appeal deadline extended for Koh Tao pair facing death sentence

The appeal deadline for two Burmese migrant workers on death row has been extended by one month, according to counsel for the pair.

A Koh Samui court handed down a death sentence to Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Linn, accused of the violent murder and rape of two British holiday makers on the tourist island of Koh Tao.

The Thai legal defence team requested the postponement, claiming they have not yet completed their appeal preparations.

Andy Hall, a migrant rights advisor to the defence, told DVB the sheer scale of documentation necessitated the delay.

“There is lots of work to prepare for the appeal. We have to thoroughly read through over 300 pages of files and testimonies, as well as consulting forensic experts.

“As we have not completed the preparations for appeal, we requested a postponement. The court approved our request to extend the appeal date to 23 May,” he said.

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Lawyers for the pair confirmed they met with the co-accused on 18 April at Nonthaburi prison, and said they remain in good health.

On 15 September 2014, backpackers Witheridge and Miller were bludgeoned to death on Sairee Beach on Koh Tao. Witheridge had also been raped. Burmese migrant workers Zaw Linn and Win Zaw Htun were arrested two weeks later by Thai police and quickly charged with the crimes. They were convicted of the crimes by the Koh Samui court on 24 December, 2015.

Scotland Yard conducted its own investigation in October 2014, but the results were never made public.

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