02 September 2010
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer
The Cambodian Appeal court plants to open a new hearing in the case of opposition leader Sam Rainsy and that of two Cambodian villagers on 05 October after two successive delays.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy and two Cambodian farmers are accused of destruction of public property and incitation to racial discrimination.
There were 2 successive delays in the hearing already due to (1) the two Cambodian farmers, Mrs. Meas Srey and Prum Chea, were not present during the hearing while they are important witnesses in the case, and (2) when the two farmers were brought to court, lawyer Sam Sokong was absent from the country and the two farmers refused to take another lawyer as his replacement.
Chuong Chou-ngy, Sam Rainsy’s defense lawyer, told RFA on 01 September: “I am prepared to defend H.E. Sam Rainsy at the Appeal court according to the law.”
Regarding the complex issues above, Chan Sok Yeang, the defense lawyer for the government and, in particular, that of the Svay Rieng province’s Chantrea district authority, indicated: “They delayed the case twice already, therefore I am prepared, I was prepared since the very first time.”
Currently, the two farmers are incarcerated, whereas opposition leader Sam Rainsy is living in self-exile in France.
Sam Sokong transferred the defense of the farmers to another lawyer once already, however, he indicated that he already sent his request to the Appeal court to continue defending his clients again.
Sam Sokong said: “I sent the request letter to defend my client once again to the Appeal court on 27 August. When I sent the request, the court accepted it officially already. I’m just waiting for the hearing date.”
Sam Sokong was absent for 3 weeks during the hearing date because he had to travel to East Timor to attend a human rights training.
SRP MP Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, indicated that this case is political: “[The lawyer is] defending them in order to encourage them because this judgment is extremely unfair, it is a political case.”
On 27 January 2010, the Svay Rieng provincial court sentenced opposition leader Sam Rainsy in absentia to 2-year of jail time after charging him with destruction of public properties and incitation to racial discrimination simply because he uprooted border stakes located at border post 185 in Koh Kban village, Samrong commune, Chantrea district, Svay Rieng procine on 29 October 2008.
The Svay Reing court also sentenced the two Cambodian farmers, Mrs. Meas Srey and Prum Chea, to 1-year of jail time each for their participation in the uprooting of the border stakes. The farmers charged that these stakes were planted on top of their rice field.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy and two Cambodian farmers are accused of destruction of public property and incitation to racial discrimination.
There were 2 successive delays in the hearing already due to (1) the two Cambodian farmers, Mrs. Meas Srey and Prum Chea, were not present during the hearing while they are important witnesses in the case, and (2) when the two farmers were brought to court, lawyer Sam Sokong was absent from the country and the two farmers refused to take another lawyer as his replacement.
Chuong Chou-ngy, Sam Rainsy’s defense lawyer, told RFA on 01 September: “I am prepared to defend H.E. Sam Rainsy at the Appeal court according to the law.”
Regarding the complex issues above, Chan Sok Yeang, the defense lawyer for the government and, in particular, that of the Svay Rieng province’s Chantrea district authority, indicated: “They delayed the case twice already, therefore I am prepared, I was prepared since the very first time.”
Currently, the two farmers are incarcerated, whereas opposition leader Sam Rainsy is living in self-exile in France.
Sam Sokong transferred the defense of the farmers to another lawyer once already, however, he indicated that he already sent his request to the Appeal court to continue defending his clients again.
Sam Sokong said: “I sent the request letter to defend my client once again to the Appeal court on 27 August. When I sent the request, the court accepted it officially already. I’m just waiting for the hearing date.”
Sam Sokong was absent for 3 weeks during the hearing date because he had to travel to East Timor to attend a human rights training.
SRP MP Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, indicated that this case is political: “[The lawyer is] defending them in order to encourage them because this judgment is extremely unfair, it is a political case.”
On 27 January 2010, the Svay Rieng provincial court sentenced opposition leader Sam Rainsy in absentia to 2-year of jail time after charging him with destruction of public properties and incitation to racial discrimination simply because he uprooted border stakes located at border post 185 in Koh Kban village, Samrong commune, Chantrea district, Svay Rieng procine on 29 October 2008.
The Svay Reing court also sentenced the two Cambodian farmers, Mrs. Meas Srey and Prum Chea, to 1-year of jail time each for their participation in the uprooting of the border stakes. The farmers charged that these stakes were planted on top of their rice field.
2 comments:
There were so many Khmer people standing there as witnesses,not just Mr. Sam Rainsy,Mrs.Meas Srey,and Prum Chea.The officials should ask all people living along Vietnam - Khmer border about what happening on these places.When the hearing comes, the court should bring all these hundred people as witnesses.If the court could not do so,it would not be fair for these people.And another word it would be called a kangaroo court.
Only these CPPers consciously have a national conscience, otherwise they are just only as unconscious death, but evidently not human beings!
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