Sok Sam Oeun (L) and Born Samnang (R) during their arrest in 2004
A flame burns in front of a photograph of assassinated union leader Chea Vichea at a memorial service held for him earlier this year. (Photo by: Tracey Shelton)Friday, 12 December 2008
Written by Cheang Sokha The Phnom Penh Post
The Supreme Court on December 31 will hear the controversial case of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun for the murder of union leader Chea Vichea
AFTER 1,799 days in prison, Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun will have another chance at freedom.
The two men convicted of murdering trade union leader Chea Vichea will have their case heard by the Supreme Court on December 31, a court official told the Post.
Chhoun Chantha, the deputy general prosecutor at the Supreme Court, confirmed the trial date and said that Supreme Court Deputy President Khim Ponn will preside over the case.
Chea Mony, the current president of the Free Trade Union and brother of activist Chea Vichea, said that he had received an invitation from the Supreme Court to attend the trial and reiterated his belief that the two men were innocent.
"We will wait for the decision from Supreme Court. The previous courts acted under pressure from the government," Chea Mony said. "If the court is independent, and they investigate the case, then the men will be freed."
Chea Vichea, an outspoken union party leader and Sam Rainsy Party supporter, was shot and killed in broad daylight in Phnom Penh in January 2004. Six days later, police arrested Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang for the crime.
Despite claims by rights organizations that the allegations were groundless, Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Phnom Penh Municipality Court in August 2005.
A year later, the primary witness to the murder - the owner of the newsstand where Chea Vichea was shot - released a notarised statement saying the two men were innocent.
Nuon Kimsri, mother of Born Samnang, said she will attend the hearing and expects her son to be released.
"I visited him yesterday at the Provisional Jail, and he is fine," she said. "My son still claims he is not the killer."
Vuon Phon, father of Sok Sam Oeun, said that he, too, will attend the trial, but given past results he is uncertain how the courts will rule.
"Even though I don't know whether my son will be freed or not, I want the trial to begin soon," Phon said.
"They have been in jail for four years so far," Sam Ath said. "The detention of innocent people is a terrible abuse. The court should deliver justice."
For rights organisations, this case has become an icon of Cambodia's supposedly broken justice system.
In 2007, Licadho called the case "the most glaring example of impunity and miscarriage of justice in Cambodia".
Naly Pilorge, the director of Licadho, said in a media statement in September that the Cambodian justice system "must be judged by how the courts deal with real people suffering real injustices, like Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun".
AFTER 1,799 days in prison, Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun will have another chance at freedom.
The two men convicted of murdering trade union leader Chea Vichea will have their case heard by the Supreme Court on December 31, a court official told the Post.
Chhoun Chantha, the deputy general prosecutor at the Supreme Court, confirmed the trial date and said that Supreme Court Deputy President Khim Ponn will preside over the case.
Chea Mony, the current president of the Free Trade Union and brother of activist Chea Vichea, said that he had received an invitation from the Supreme Court to attend the trial and reiterated his belief that the two men were innocent.
"We will wait for the decision from Supreme Court. The previous courts acted under pressure from the government," Chea Mony said. "If the court is independent, and they investigate the case, then the men will be freed."
Chea Vichea, an outspoken union party leader and Sam Rainsy Party supporter, was shot and killed in broad daylight in Phnom Penh in January 2004. Six days later, police arrested Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang for the crime.
Despite claims by rights organizations that the allegations were groundless, Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Phnom Penh Municipality Court in August 2005.
A year later, the primary witness to the murder - the owner of the newsstand where Chea Vichea was shot - released a notarised statement saying the two men were innocent.
Nuon Kimsri, mother of Born Samnang, said she will attend the hearing and expects her son to be released.
"I visited him yesterday at the Provisional Jail, and he is fine," she said. "My son still claims he is not the killer."
Vuon Phon, father of Sok Sam Oeun, said that he, too, will attend the trial, but given past results he is uncertain how the courts will rule.
"Even though I don't know whether my son will be freed or not, I want the trial to begin soon," Phon said.
"The previous courts acted under pressure from the government."Am Sam Ath, a Licadho monitor who has followed the case for years, said that the court will reconsider the case because the public and civil society groups have demanded their release for a long time.
"They have been in jail for four years so far," Sam Ath said. "The detention of innocent people is a terrible abuse. The court should deliver justice."
For rights organisations, this case has become an icon of Cambodia's supposedly broken justice system.
In 2007, Licadho called the case "the most glaring example of impunity and miscarriage of justice in Cambodia".
Naly Pilorge, the director of Licadho, said in a media statement in September that the Cambodian justice system "must be judged by how the courts deal with real people suffering real injustices, like Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun".
9 comments:
Well' let everyone regularly visit this Blog send the message to the Cambodian Supreme court to make the right decision.
Dear Judge of Supreme Court,
Please use your own consciences that Lord Buddha give to you by letting these men free. We are as the Khmer compatriots know that they are innocent. So, on December 31, 2008 we are hoping that Lord Buddha will guide you to do the right thing for our Khmer citizen. May Lord Buddha bless you, Born Samnang, and Sok Sam Oeun.
These two men are not the real killer..HOK LUNDY AND YOUN HUN KHWANG ARE THE REAL KILLERS!! Both HUN/HOK sending out their gangs to do the jobs!!!!!
Actually, it is Ah Notorious Killer (Scam Rainxy) who setup everything, and that isn't the first time either.
I'm feeling very disturb with one of idiot and always wake up in wrong side of the bed at all the times.
Hey the son of Viet girl from Svai Paak can you low your tune ?
Every body recognize U as a retaeded born okay?
I would like to send these messages to the Cambodia Supreme Court.
Please release these two mans they are not the real killer.
This two mans has suffer for four years now for the crime they had not done.
If you want to free the two men don't talk to the court officials, instead talk to Hun Sen. The court don't have the power to free the two men. Hun Sen has the power to do everything in Cambodia. About the killing of Chea Vichea Hun Sen knows everything because he's the mastermind behind the attack. Hun Sen probably get millions from the business CEOs. From the past the court still found the two men guilty eventhough there were hundreds of supporting witnesses and plenty of evidence backing the two men. See, what kind of justice is this. That's what I say the court listen to one man ONLY.
It could be their son being treated the way they are treating these two guys. I am surprise how HUN SEN can sleep at night without thinking about these guys.
I agree with 6:44am 100%!! HUN/HOK are behind all of this killing!!
freedom now. enough tears for the innocents. Free them Free them Free them now.
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