Phnom Penh Thursday, 23 September 2010
“Only a political compromise can bring him back.”
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 12 years in jail Thursday, on forgery and disinformation charges for publishing a map on his party's website alleging Vietnamese border encroachment.
Those 12 years are added to a two-year sentence Sam Rainsy is already facing for uprooting markers along the Vietnamese border last year. He also received a fine of 65 million riel, more than $15,000—5 million riel to the court and 60 million riel to the government as reparation.
Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge Ke Sakhan said at the conclusion of Sam Rainsy's trial in August he had deemed the map to be false and posted as an act to hurt the government's image.
Sam Rainsy has been in exile since the first set of charges were levied against him last October, and the map, he said, was meant to verify border claims he had made at the time.
Sam Rainsy's lawyer, Kong Bora, called the verdict a “grave injustice,” and said the judgement had “followed the orders of an individual who is currently in power.”
However, government attorney Ky Tech said the punishment was just as “the damage caused by Sam Rainsy was very big.”
In statements ahead of the verdict this week, Sam Rainsy said he would seek international intervention the cases against him, which he said were political. Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior officials have said there will be no political solution and left the case in the hands of the court.
Opposition lawmakers and other political observers have pointed to what they say is a systematic use of the courts to silence the opposition and political dissent, including the jailing of newspaper editors, human rights workers and others.
Observers say the new sentencing of Sam Rainsy will deprive the country of the lead opposition as Cambodia prepares for commune elections in 2012 and national elections the following year.
“Only a political compromise can bring him back,” said Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licadho.
3 comments:
Looks like Rainsy has no way out this time. Hun San really wants him dead. If he really wants to return back to Cambodia, he has no other options but to do one of these:
1) quit being a politician
2) sleep with Bun Rany
3) suck Hun San's cock
4) or all of the above
Ranarith already did all that and now he's a free man.
Ah kawck give people justice and a real democracy! You motherfucker do not see what hapened to Shehato and Sadam Husen 's families????
Do your grand children a big favor , fool!!!!!
Cambodian Court jailed Sam Rainsy for 10 years in absentia is the last nail on Sam Rainsy's coffin. From now on, Sam Rainsy's political career in Cambodia is done and dush. So, will SRP survive until the next election and beyond? Everyone can bet for it.
Khmer in Sydney CBD
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