TheCable

Thailand on Monday moved one step closer to approving the death penalty for politicians found guilty of corruption.

It appointed a National Reform Steering Assembly that passed a proposal under which politicians found guilty of corruption involving more than $27.9 million could face the death penalty.

Politicians involved in corruption to the tune of $2.8 to $27.9 million could face a life sentence, and those involved in cases between $27,900 could be imprisoned for five years.

The proposal would be submitted to the cabinet and then to parliament for further deliberations.

Thailand has been under military rule since May 2014.

Some coup leaders cited the need to rid the government of corruption as one of the reasons for staging it.

Critics blasted the proposal, saying it could be exploited by the country’s military rulers to further stifle dissent.

“The death penalty is first of all, a human rights issue,” Amnesty International.

“It is never right and is never the solution; the death penalty can be used as a political tool. The authorities in some countries for example, Iran and Sudan use the death penalty to punish political opponents.”

Thailand gave out the capital punishment in August 2009.