Reuters demands 'full transparency' over journalist's killing

Editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said on Monday it was imperative that full transparency be brought to the investigation.  

Thai investigators earlier reversed a previous finding into the shooting of the 43-year-old Tokyo-based cameraman last April. Officials from the Department of Special Investigations said he was hit by a 7.62 mm round from an AK-47 assault rifle, a weapon not used by Thai soldiers. An earlier leaked report blamed the military for shooting him through his chest with a 5.56 mm M-16 rifle bullet fired from an army-held position. Witnesses at the scene agreed.

“The apparent contradiction between the preliminary investigation and these reports makes full transparency about the process and the findings imperative,” Adler said. 

The military was unhappy with the result of the first investigation and army sources told reporters a military officer was assigned to help the DSI's investigation.

Critics say investigations into how 89 people died in the protests have been hurt by interference. ■