Thursday, July 02, 2009

Imprisoned opposition publisher suffers diminishing health: lawyer

Opposition editor Hang Chakra with SRP lawmaker Mu Sochua outside Phnom Penh Municipal Court earlier this month. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

Wednesday, 01 July 2009

Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

Hang Chakra, sentenced last week to one year in prison for defamation, says he hasn't been able to sleep or eat since he was incarcerated.

THE lawyer for jailed opposition newspaper publisher Hang Chakra said Tuesday that his client has gone without sleep or food since he was imprisoned last Friday, and that he would write a formal complaint about his health to the court.

"I went to visit my client on Monday at Prey Sar prison. He told me he could not eat or sleep," lawyer Choung Chou Ngy told the Post Tuesday.

"This could make him sick, so I am now preparing two letters to the court to have him released from prison and one more letter to the Appeal Court," he said.

Hang Chakra, who publishes the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, was sentenced to one year in prison for after a judge last week found him guilty of publishing false information pertaining to a high-ranking government official and his staff.

No justice

Choung Chou Ngy claims his client, who was arrested and sentenced the same day, wasn't given a chance to defend himself, and that his health problems were likely a result of shock.

"The court did not let my client defend himself. Even I, his lawyer, was not given the chance to defend him," Choung Chou Ngy said. "Their aim is to imprison my client rather than seek justice."

Family expresses concern

Hang Chakra's family has also expressed concern over his health.

"I worry so much about my father's health because he has got multiple illnesses," Hang Chakra's daughter Hang Nethra, 20, said Tuesday.

Hang Nethra said that she wrote a letter through human rights organisations on Monday to get permission to visit her father.

Am Sam Ath, monitoring supervisor for rights group Licadho, said Tuesday his organisation had sent the letter but had not yet received a response.

"We wrote to the general department of the prison on Monday to allow his daughter and Licadho doctors see him because his health is not so good," Am Sam Ath said.

Heng Hak, general director at the prison, said Tuesday that he had not yet received the letter, adding: "If the court provides permission, they will be permitted to visit [Hang Chakra] in prison."

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

We khmer know who are the good and who are the traitor.

Thank you for standing up us khmer, all khmer.

May you have God's favor and blessing always.

Anonymous said...

In the words of KI Media, Mr Chakra just could not take the heat.

Kuoy Pichet

Anonymous said...

The mere fact that Mr. Chakra has to spend a year in Prey Sar for his behavior modification should be suffice when it's time to have him reintegrated into society; also, this serves as an example for others--to follow.

PPU

Anonymous said...

I agreed with PPU...

Sa thuk! Sa Thuk! Sa Thuk!
puok ah khmer M'chas Srok joule kuk mneak heuy, mé vea srey nov baraing, Neak Srey Bandit Chak Sakhon terb tei mouk som luy nov lynn Mass. pon man atith mun niss.
Ah mé khoch Tith Sarun trov Ban Neak Srey Bandit Chak Sakhon bandech chenh pi pak, pi pruos Ah mé khoch Tith Sarun ban luoch loy pak oss $5,000. chong york tov rok si nov srok khmer tei meak eing chhmuonh ang kor mok lork nov améric chea moy bropon chong.

nov mean krom ah Hin Sithan, Sam Vichea, Yim guechsè, Ly Ngoc Yiep teat khang sarsé kamnap, min deung chea kamnap mè vea eiy rok sdab min ban.

If you mess with Thevoda and sdach yumreach, you are history boy.

Anonymous said...

11:46

You must be the bastard of one eyed hyena.You inherited his brain.

Anonymous said...

11:46 is hun sen's son in law. he worships mr hun sen five times a day.

Anonymous said...

12:51 PM, I think Mr. 11.46 is a Buddhist (not Muslim). In other words, Buddhism does not force others to worship in return of cash and property.

PPU

Anonymous said...

I will pay him a visit in Presy Sar prison this weekend.

PPU

Anonymous said...

PPU don't 4 get ur female bitch 4 Ah devil ho ok?

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