Thursday, March 14, 2013

Cambodian radio station owner to be freed this week

PHNOM PENH, March 14 (Xinhua) — Cambodia’s Court of Appeal on Thursday reduced jail term for Mam Sonando, owner of the Beehive Radio and president of the Association of Democrats, to five years with remaining jail term being suspended, according to a verdict announced by presiding judge Khun Leang Meng.

The court found Sonando, 72, guilty of obstruction of public officials, interference in the discharge of public duties, and illegal logging, he said.

Sonando, who was arrested on July 15, 2012 at his house in Phnom Penh, will be released on Saturday after he has served eight months in jail, the judge said.

“I support the court for giving a suspended jail term to my client,” Sonando’s defense lawyer Sar Sovan told reporters.


The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Oct. 1 last year convicted Sonando of masterminding a “secessionist” plot and sentenced him to 20 years in jail.

The court found that Sonando masterminded a plot to establish an autonomous region in eastern Kratie province in May last year. At that time, there was a violent clash between the government forces and illegal land holders. As a result, a 14-year-old girl was shot dead by government forces.

Some western countries see the conviction of Sonando as a political motivated move to stifle a popular government critic.

In November last year, while attending ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Cambodia to release political prisoners during a bilateral meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Obama highlighted the case of Sonando for instance.

However, Hun Sen said, “In Cambodia, there is no political prisoner, but politicians abused the law, so they must be punished in accordance with the law.”

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

NOT the Court, it was Hun who dicided the release.

Anonymous said...

@1:44 PM

You nail it!

Anonymous said...

ខ្ញុំសូមអនុមោទនា ដោយពួកចោក្បត់មិនអាចរកភាសតាងបានទើបដោះលេង

Anonymous said...


The court said that " .... discharge of public duties, and illegal logging".

You can say what you are wanting but the Yom Ma Reach said MR Mam Sonando did nothing wrong but you instead.


Anonymous said...

Khiev Kanarith must know that Mr Sonando don't sell his brain like you.

Anonymous said...

Thank you! PM Hun Sen, this is a sign of 'khmer loves khmer'. Together, we stand up tall and look up high. From now on, don't let outsiders get the benefit of our conflicts no more, let say 'enough is enough'.

Au

Anonymous said...

I don't think foreigners care more about Khmers care about Khmers. If we as Khmers don't protect each other directly or indirectly, no one else will.

And the next gesture of good will is to Sam Rainsy.
And Sam Rainsy could turn out to be the one who is capable to save and protect Hun Sen too. The future will tell. It's long over due us Khmers stop fighting each other to serve foreign powers.

Anonymous said...

AH Kwak Hun Sen will now be killed by Youn for releasing Mom Sonando. Youn knows that with the release of Mom Sonando, he will gather support from many Khmer citizen, as Hun Sen is only popular with the Youn and the CPP elites.

Anonymous said...

1:53 PM

Agree with you too.
We know Hun Sen owns Cambodia's courts.
And in turn, Hun Sen is owned by Hanoi.

Anonymous said...

Make no mistake that whenever people talking about the prison, it makes fugitive Sam Rainsy sleepless at night, let alone ever expected that he will dare to return and goes to jail in Cambodia. His father (Sam Sary) had advised him that if there is a problem in Cambodia, just run and run fast like daddy. Then, you will be free because we were born as elite family will not able to cope the condition in prison at all. Prison is just for ordinary people to stay.

Pi Anh.

Anonymous said...

AH Ping Ang, does Ah Hun Sen exchange CPP penis for your Youn brain? Why are you so dumb living on food stamp in the US?

Anonymous said...

to 5:16 PM,

Pong Kdoer Aign Ah Chov Me Reay Pi Anh.

Anonymous said...

dump weakness and madness man rainsy you are the cheapest commodity on earth stop cheat and fools people for your dinner bread ok Mr. bouksy you are from Khmer cheater family right? . the truth is I am Mike I amhave experienced with my worker the siamese and youn. siamese steal everything they can. the youn complaint. too much and always ask for more you should out smart the youn by strictly demand them to finish the work first before you ever spend your rmoney. with youn more honest then the siamese. and always have a feeling gay bouksy are very much like youn.Mike

Anonymous said...

Remember Mom Sonando was jailed by Ah Hun Sen because of ah Suon Srey Rotha!

Wait till Mom Sonando gets out and ask him about it!

Ah Suon Serey Rotha can run but he cannot hide!!!

Anonymous said...

not sen love khmer but pressure
from intl. and from khmer nationalist and
not from traitor like Anh.

Anonymous said...

what you dumb shit didn't know is that he has agreed to switch side in return for his release, now he's officially CPP. Long Live Pi Anh.

Anonymous said...

Anyway he's too old and fragile, just let this old useless shit die at home instead of wasting money to clean him up in the cell. Long Live Pi Anh.

Anonymous said...

Remember Mom Sonando was jailed by Ah Hun Sen because of ah Suon Srey Rotha!

Wait till Mom Sonando gets out and ask him about it!

Ah Suon Serey Rotha can run but he cannot hide!!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you,enough is enough foreigners come to destroys and takes our wealth above the earth and beneath the earth you think about it Mr Hun sen!

Remember Yuon was our#1 enemy ever since we encounter with them many centuries ago.Please put Khmer interest first.You only live once do your country and your people a favor help them don't be a sold out,its not too late to change for the better to all Khmers.

Khmer luv

Anonymous said...

Ah Mike! What's in the name of a freaks are you talking about!? Oh come on Ah Mike to school learn how to talk right!!!! ah lop.....

Anonymous said...

You can ignore this Youn Mike. Hes wanted back in Vietnam, the hospital staff have been looking for him. Any information on Youn Mike should be directed back to Youn or to CPP.

Anonymous said...

AH CHHKUOT PI ANH @ 5:16PM,

Make no mistake when people talk about jail time, you and your CPP clans never want to go to sleep at night!

Sam Sary was killed by AH CHHKUOT SIHANUOK like you, DUMB-ASS! So if you don't know shit, don't say shit, it's just make you more stupid.

Re. jail time, it's design to put criminals people like you and your CPP clans. It's not for ordinary peoples, DUMB-ASS! So when it's come to jail time, you should go first because of all your DUMB-ASS BULLSHITS.

YOUN KILLAZ,

Anonymous said...

Mr. Mam Sonando, welcome back to freedom.

Please have a thorough health checks at the French Embassy in Phnom Penh immediately after your release.

Anonymous said...

ឯងរាល់គ្នាត្រូវដឹងថាគឺអាខ្វាក់នេះហើយដែលឱ្យអាតុលាការកូនកាត់នេះប្រើរយៈពេលឱ្យយូរដើម្បីជាល្បែងនិងដើម្បីលុយចិញ្ចឹមពួកវា បោកប្រាស់សហប្រជាជាតិដែលល្ងីល្ងើបំផ្លាញលុយពិភពលោក ឯអាខ្វាក់ចេះតែបន្តសម្លាប់មនុស្សមិនឈប់ឈរ។​ តើអាណានឹងទទួលខុសត្រូវរឿងសម្លាប់រង្គាលនេះ​បើអាសហប្រជាជាតិក៏ពុករលួយជាមួយអាខ្វាក់ដែរនោះ???????

Anonymous said...

វាដោះមួយ តែវានឹងចាប់១០ទៀត​ កុំរំពឹងថាវាខ្លាច​ ហើយញញើតនឹងធ្វើទៀតឱ្យសោះ។