PHNOM PENH (AFP) - Cambodia's former king, Norodom Sihanouk, has said that two men convicted of killing popular trade union leader Chea Vichea were innocent, a letter to the men's families has revealed.
Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were convicted of the January 2004 killing of Chea Vichea, head of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia which campaigned for garment workers' rights.
They were arrested just days after the daylight shooting at a Phnom Penh news stand and were each sentenced to 20 years in prison last year.
"I very believe that Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang did not kill Chea Vichea and it was other people who murdered him," Sihanouk said in the letter dated August 5.
"I hope that the government ... will provide justice to Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang," added the former king, who quit the throne in 2004 but still wields considerable influence in his country.
Amnesty International last week called on the Cambodian government to immediately open an independent investigation into the murder, and accused the justice system of allowing political killings to go ahead with impunity.
"Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun should be released without delay and a new investigation launched which is impartial, independent and effective," said Brittis Edman, Southeast Asia researcher at Amnesty International.
"Chea Vichea's killers are still on the loose and his family continues to be denied justice," Edman added.
Chea Vichea, who founded the union along with opposition leader Sam Rainsy, was an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Hun Sen. He organised protests which frequently led to clashes with police.
Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were convicted of the January 2004 killing of Chea Vichea, head of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia which campaigned for garment workers' rights.
They were arrested just days after the daylight shooting at a Phnom Penh news stand and were each sentenced to 20 years in prison last year.
"I very believe that Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang did not kill Chea Vichea and it was other people who murdered him," Sihanouk said in the letter dated August 5.
"I hope that the government ... will provide justice to Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang," added the former king, who quit the throne in 2004 but still wields considerable influence in his country.
Amnesty International last week called on the Cambodian government to immediately open an independent investigation into the murder, and accused the justice system of allowing political killings to go ahead with impunity.
"Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun should be released without delay and a new investigation launched which is impartial, independent and effective," said Brittis Edman, Southeast Asia researcher at Amnesty International.
"Chea Vichea's killers are still on the loose and his family continues to be denied justice," Edman added.
Chea Vichea, who founded the union along with opposition leader Sam Rainsy, was an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Hun Sen. He organised protests which frequently led to clashes with police.
2 comments:
If this true, I sympathized with these 2 convicts. Once should forced ah Hun Sen to tell the truth, which one of his family or his goons did the killing the Union Leader.
Hun Sen, you're the barbaric for napping a citizen then blame him for the crimes. You should send your judges/lawyers to the REAL SCHOOL. Stop accepting hand over degree/certificate. Dumpkoff.
Have to admire king Sihanouk who has the gut to say this.. Where is Sihamoni?
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