Lawyer for the 22 Hanoi PhDs claimed that each of his client demands 10 million riels ($2,500) in compensation from SRP MP Ho Vann

10 September 2009
By Sopheap and Ratana
Khmer Sthabna
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On 09 September, the Phnom Penh municipal court held a hearing to decide in the lawsuit case brought up by 22 high-ranking army officers (known as Hanoi PhDs) against Phnom Penh SRP MP Ho Vann for defamation and disinformation.

The hearing was presided by Judge Sin Visal, Sok Roeun was the prosecutor and Lay Vorakcheat was the court clerk. Local and foreign officials, as well as reporters were following this hearing. However, MP Ho Vann was not present in the hearing.

In the afternoon of 09 September 2009, the judge decided to delay issuing the sentence on Ho Vann to 22 September 2009 at 2PM. In addition, lawyer for the Hanoi PhDs did not ask for compensation from Kevin Dole, the editor-in-chief of The Cambodia Daily, nor from the author of The Cambodia Daily’s article. However, the defense lawyer for Nov Vanrin, the author of the article, asked the court to drop all the charges against his client. Kevin Dole did not have a defense lawyer during the court hearing.

The hearing was held in front of the two defense lawyers for the 22 Hanoi PhDs, and they told the court that each of their clients asked 10 millions riels ($2,500) in compensation (for a total of 220 million riels or $55,000).

Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, reacted to this hearing in absentia by saying that the SRP is not surprised, because this is a tactic used by the ruling party, the CPP, to make use of the justice system to silence the democrats, in particular the SRP MPs.

Yim Sovann indicated that the SRP maintains its democratic goals, and that a verdict from a tribunal that lacks independence will receive criticisms from democrats and from the international community.

Yim Sovann said that the decision to appeal this case rests entirely on MP Ho Vann’s personal decision because he is currently traveling in the US.

MP Ho Vann left Cambodia on 22 June 2009 after the National Assembly lifted his parliamentary immunity following a request made by the court so that it can easily charge the SRP MP in all legalities.

The 22 Hanoi PhDs include General Pol Saroeun, the RCAF chief of staff, and General Kun Kim, the RCAF deputy chief of staff, as well as a number of other generals.

Ho Vann will not appear in court summon

27 August 2009
By Kim Pov
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Yim Sovann, SRP spokesman, claimed that SRP MP Ho Vann will not show up to the Phnom Penh municipal court to clarify in the court summon set on 09 September.

Yim Sovann, who spoke for Ho Vann who is temporarily visiting the US, indicated that he does not have any trust in the search for justice by the Phnom Penh municipal court in this case, therefore, whether showing up in court to provide clarification or not makes no difference.

Yim Sovann said: “We have no trust in the judgment of this case. In summary, let them do whatever they want, we don’t need to waste time and money to show up in such a hearing.”

The lack of trust in the judgment rendered by Cambodian court on opposition MPs led Yim Sovann to add that the charged SRP MPs have no need to find lawyer to defend themselves.

In a court summon issued by judge Sok Roeun, the deputy prosecutor of the Phnom Penh municipal court, 62-year-old Ho Vann who has 3 children must come to the court as ordered to clarify about the charges of defamation and disinformation.

Regarding the refusal to show up in court, Sok Roeun commented that he will wait and see, however, he did not reveal how we will deal this case: “I don’t know if he will come or not, but the invitation was sent to him.”

Kim Pov (RFA): If he does not show up, what measures will be taken?
Sok Rouen: We’ll wait until that time.

Chan Soveth, an official of the Adhoc human rights group who is following up in this case, said that Ho Vann’s case is completely political. Everything seems to be pre-arranged already, therefore a political settlement is of the order. “Regarding this issue, it involves politics, it’s not about the application of the law. Politicians in Cambodia should settle this case through politics instead,” Chan Soveth said.

SRP MP Ho Vann saw his parliamentary immunity lifted at the same time as SRP MP Mu Sochua last June. He was sued by a group of high-ranking army officers after The Cambodia Daily quoted him about the quality of the Vietnamese degrees obtained by these army officers.