December 20, 2010 - The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) condemns the groundless conviction of United Nations' World Food Program national staff Seng Kunnaka by the Phnom Penh court on Sunday morning, December 20, 2010.
Seng Kunnaka was arrested on Friday before noon by the Russei Keo district police. The arrest occured after Kunnaka printed and shared material found on the website ki-media, an online blog dedicated to aggregating news articles and opinions on Cambodia including material critical of its government.
After spending a night in the police station, Kunnaka was sent to the Phnom Penh court for questioning before returning to police custody for another night.
The next day, on Sunday morning, the Phnom Penh court judge Kao Vandy declared Kunnaka guilty of criminal incitement - article 495 of the new criminal code - and sentenced the man to six months in prison and fined 1 million riel.
"This rushed trial and groundless conviction is further proof of the growing crackdown on freedom of expression by the Cambodian government", says LICADHO Director Naly Pilorge.
"As we pointed out in our public analysis, the new criminal code in its current form is a threat to freedom of expression in the country," Pilorge added. "This conviction, exactly ten days after the enactment of the new criminal code, is clear evidence of that."
LICADHO urges the appeals court to grant bail to Seng Kunnaka pending a re-examination of his groundless conviction.
Furthermore, LICADHO renews its call for the new criminal code to be amended to insure the respect and protection of fundamental rights of every Cambodian to freedom of expression and information, as guaranteed by Cambodia's constitution.
For more information, please contact:
• LICADHO Director Naly Pilorge, 012 803 650
• LICADHO Technical Supervisor Am Sam Ath, 012 327 770
5 comments:
who say cambodia is democrazy ? for me i say democry
This world is currupted.
big countries watches from afar, and do nothing about it.
One world, World leaders are useless.
Khmer is a Communist state soon......... Like Vietnam and China. any speak is against the government.
យើងត្រូវតែនាំគ្នានិយាយពីអំពើក្បត់ជាតិនឹងអំពើអាក្រក់
របស់មេដឹកនាំកម្ពុជា ទាំងយប់ ទាំងថ្ងៃ មានដូចជា ៖
ពួកអាឆ្កែកញ្ជះយួន ហ៊ុន សែន, ហេងសំ រិន, ជាស៊ីម,
សុខ អាន, ហោ ណាំហុង, ឱម យិនទៀង, ចៀម យីប,
វ៉ា គិម ហុង, ស ខេង, ងួន ញ៉ឹល ។ល។ និង ។ល។
និយាយហើយនិយាយទៀតដើម្បីអោយជាតិ និងអន្តរជាតិ
ដឹងឮ ទូទាំងពិភពលោក។
អោយពួកវាស្អុយឈ្មោះ ស្អុយត្រកូលរាប់ម៉ឺនសែន ឆ្នាំ...!
The policemen in our country are the agency or spy of Primitive stooge Hun Sen and their master Yuen.Every time of any crime happen they never care to search for who is criminal. But their works now are search for any one who speak the truth related their masters, traitors, Xen, Xim, Xamrin and these traitors'dogs!
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