Malaysia deports police fugitive
By Jonathan Kent
BBC News, Kuala Lumpur
Human rights groups in Malaysia have expressed outrage over the hurried deportation of a fugitive former Cambodian police chief to his homeland.
Heng Pov, who had been convicted of murder in Cambodia in his absence, was spirited out of Malaysia while the courts were still hearing the case.
He had previously been ordered to return to Singapore from where he intended to fly to Europe.
Heng Pov was convicted of killing a judge in his native Cambodia in 2003.
The circumstances of Heng Pov's deportation were extraordinary.
Reversed decisions
Just six days ago, Malaysia's High Court ordered that he be returned to Singapore from where he had entered the country.
From there, he was expected to travel to Finland, which had offered him a visa.
But on Thursday morning, Malaysia's appeals court set aside the lower court's decision.
Lawyers for the former police chief, who have argued that he faces torture if returned to Cambodia, immediately appealed to the federal court, Malaysia's highest.
But within an hour, immigration officials had handed Heng Pov to the Cambodian authorities and the wanted man was flown out on a private plane.
When the federal court convened to consider the matter a mere 50 minutes later, Heng Pov was en route to Phnom Penh.
The judge heading the panel, Richard Malanjum, reprimanded state prosecutors handling the case.
Civil liberties activists and lawyers have accused the authorities of treating the courts with contempt.
Meanwhile, the police chief's wife has appealed to international human rights groups to help her husband.
Heng Pov, who had been convicted of murder in Cambodia in his absence, was spirited out of Malaysia while the courts were still hearing the case.
He had previously been ordered to return to Singapore from where he intended to fly to Europe.
Heng Pov was convicted of killing a judge in his native Cambodia in 2003.
The circumstances of Heng Pov's deportation were extraordinary.
Reversed decisions
Just six days ago, Malaysia's High Court ordered that he be returned to Singapore from where he had entered the country.
From there, he was expected to travel to Finland, which had offered him a visa.
But on Thursday morning, Malaysia's appeals court set aside the lower court's decision.
Lawyers for the former police chief, who have argued that he faces torture if returned to Cambodia, immediately appealed to the federal court, Malaysia's highest.
But within an hour, immigration officials had handed Heng Pov to the Cambodian authorities and the wanted man was flown out on a private plane.
When the federal court convened to consider the matter a mere 50 minutes later, Heng Pov was en route to Phnom Penh.
The judge heading the panel, Richard Malanjum, reprimanded state prosecutors handling the case.
Civil liberties activists and lawyers have accused the authorities of treating the courts with contempt.
Meanwhile, the police chief's wife has appealed to international human rights groups to help her husband.
6 comments:
This certainly is a conspiracy among the Malaysian immigration authority and the Court of Appeal. Everything seems perfect. The appeal judges made the decision so fast and did not allow HP to stay. The authority was even worse, acting like a bunch of abductors. To save name and face of the Malaysian nation, the government should look into the case and punish those who arranged the scheme. If this was the act of the Malaysian goevernment, shame on them. The malaysian gvt has to be aware that they can be friend to a small group of gangsters in Phnom Penh, but they are no longer welcome by the Khmer public domestic and abroad. The world as well as Malaysian people are losing confidence in the MAlaysian government.
They are "within their own circle". Never expect more!
Somlor Ma-Chou Yuon
I don't think the Muslim of Malaysia belived in Alla!!!
Is it within Muslim teaching to deny those who ran to you for help?
Do I have to pray 5 times to get the answer???
I cannot understand why Malaysia can do like this? It is very damaging to Malaysia standing around the world as well as damaging to Heng Pov life. He should be allowed to travel to Finland for a New life there. Now, his life has changed from a new hope to a new Hell. May God help Heng Pov. I tried to help all my best.
If Heng Pov dies in Cambodia, Malaysia Gov also has a part in it also.
Hello,
The Malaysia's lower court has jurisdiction over the Malaysia's Court of Appeals, and the Malaysia's Federal Court.
However, it is so ironic that Hun Sen and His cronies have more authority over than that Malaysia and [its] government.
Political Note: Before 1979, Malaysia was among the only few countries that appealed to the ASEAN to rally against the Hanoi's proposal to invade Cambodia in 12/1978. However, after 1979, Malaysia became diplomatic normalization with Hanoi.
Hanoi would use [her] political lip service anyway [she] can to overcome [her] political gains. Remember - Soviet Union, then China, and currently United States?
Somlor Ma-Chou Yuon
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