Hun Sen comments on his vouching for Dam Sith’s bail release

15 June 2008
By Chea Makara
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On Sunday, Prime minister Hun Sen commented about his vouching for the bail release of Dam Sith, the SRP MP candidate, saying that his action was not done by pressuring the tribunal.

Hun Sen made this declaration during a ground breaking ceremony for the Prek Phnov bridge, in the suburb of Phnom Penh: “Yesterday, I requested for the release of a journalist, and don’t be mistaken that this was a pressure made on anyone. I remained silent, but, when I saw that in this situation this person (Dam Sith) could not escape to anywhere, and the court is progressing according to the law as normal, therefore, I asked the court to resolve that way, it’s another matter for the court. Sometimes, they said that it (the court) is under such and such pressure instead, that we want to get such and such vote, the issue turns into that instead. Don’t worry, when the court sentence him to jail, he will certainly be jailed, don’t be surprised. Now, I only vouch him for his bail release only. When the court sentence him actually, it depends on luck, we will get whatever we want, no matter what, we will get whatever we want. But, this is not a criminal case like Heng Pov’s case, therefore, I am just delaying it, the others should not be fed up.”

Political Cartoon: Dam Sith

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Will the CPP-biased court provide bail for Dam Sith, Moneaksekar Khmer Editor?

Court Mulls Bail for Opposition Editor

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Orignal report from Phnom Penh
09 June 2008

Phnom Penh Municipal Court is considering a request from the government that a jailed opposition newspaper editor be released on bail, officials said Monday.

Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith said Monday the ministry sent an official letter to Phnom Penh Municipal Court Monday morning requesting the courts release on bail Dam Sith, the editor of Moneasekar Khmer, a daily newspaper aligned with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.

Dam Sith, a parliamentary candidate for July's election for Phnom Penh, was arrested Sunday and charged with defamation and disinformation for publishing an article that quoted Sam Rainsy implicating Foreign Minsiter Hor Namhong with the Khmer Rogue regime.

Hor Namhong has denied in the past any involvement with the regime during his time as a prisoner at the Boeung Trabek camp in Phnom Penh, which operated between 1975 and 1979.

Dam Sith is currently being held in the capital's Prey Sar prison.

Lao Mong Hay, a researcher at the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission, said the arrest was a violation of press law, and he appealed to the courts to drop the charges against him. Dam Sith had only quoted the words of Sam Rainsy, Lao Mong Hay said.

Phnom Penh Judge Chhay Kong said Monday he had received the ministry letter this morning and was considering a release on bail.

Dam Sith's attorney, Choung Choungy, said Monday he was surprised that the ministry had sent a letter to the court and said his client was clear of any wrongdoing. He had only quoted from Sam Rainsy's speech, the attorney said.