Journalist, forest official allegedly beat logger

Monday, 17 September 2012
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post

a trend had recently emerged of local journalists attaching themselves to provincial forestry officers in Kratie and stopping people involved in the timber trade, demanding bribes in return for not reporting on their activities.

A local journalist and a forestry official were arrested by military police in Kratie province’s Sambo district on Friday night for allegedly discharging a weapon into the air and beating a man with a boat oar in an extortion bid gone awry.

According to district military police commander Chung Sokunthea, Khuth Khy, a reporter for the Khmer-language newspaper Today News, and Sandan Forestry Administration director Seng Chantarun allegedly set upon a man in a rowing boat while attempting to extort money from him for transporting luxury wood.

“This journalist and the forestry official were arrested by our military police forces after they opened fire to threaten and stop a boat rower on the river who had stocked and carried two pieces of luxury wood for making beds for his own use,” Sokunthea said, adding that the victim had suffered an injury to his shoulder.

Witness testimonies conflict at Mam Sonando trial

Beehive Radio director Mam Sonando (C) appears at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Thursday, 13 September 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Testimony continued in the case of jailed Beehive Radio director Mam Sonando and his alleged accomplices yesterday at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, with 12 witnesses alternately accusing and absolving the Association of Democrats president and his co-defendants.

About 200 protestors camped outside the court again yesterday, however, despite an omniscient police force, the atmosphere was calmer with protestors singing and chanting peacefully throughout the day.

Unlike the first day of trial, media were allowed inside the court room to observe the proceedings.

Several of the prosecution’s witnesses said that their testimony was based entirely on hearsay, and none had any evidence to offer about the men actually on trial, focusing instead on alleged co-conspirator Bun Ratha, whose whereabouts have been unknown since the fatal May eviction in Kratie province’s Pro Ma village that spurred the charges of “secessionism” in the first place.

Police stop protest at trial of Cambodia activist

Cambodian anti-riot police stopped hundreds of people from protesting at a court where a leading government critic went on trial Tuesday for an alleged secessionist plot, according to an AFP photographer.

12/09/2012
Bangkok Post

Mam Sonando, owner of the independent Beehive radio station, was arrested in mid-July on charges including insurrection and inciting people to take up arms against the state.

He is accused of masterminding a plot to establish an autonomous region in eastern Kratie province -- the scene of violent land rights protests -- and faces a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted.

A teenage girl was shot dead in Kratie in May when security forces clashed with demonstrators.

Sonando, the 71-year-old president of campaign group the Association of Democrats, denies the accusations.

Hard questions for Grandma Bun Rany - By Anonymous

Forced eviction in Proma villlage - By Anonymous

Chan Soveth continues his travel to Sweden

អនុប្រធាន​ផ្នែក​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត នៃ​អង្គការ​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អាដហុក (Adhoc) លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត និយាយ​ក្នុង​ពិធី​ខួប​លើក​ទី​២០​របស់​អង្គការ​លីកាដូ (Licadho) កាល​ពី​យប់​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៦ ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។ (RFA/Sok Serey)

លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បន្ត​ទៅ​ស៊ុយអែត ខណៈ​ជាប់​ចោទ​ពី​បទ​ផ្ដល់​ជំនួយ​ចារី

2012-09-06
ដោយ ទីន ហ្សាការីយ៉ា
Radio Free Asia

Synopsis: Chan Soveth, a principal investigator for the Adhoc human rights group, continued his mission from Thailand to Sweden in order to participate in a human rights meeting. His trips follow the accusation leveled by the Phnom Penh municipal court charging him of providing help to a criminal in August. Meanwhile, in the case of Mam Sonando, President of the Association of Democrats, the court will hold its hearing on 11 September. Mam Sonando’s case is also linked to Chan Soveth’s case. Human rights officials are concerned about Mam Sonando’s case as the court had issued summonses to several dozens of people to come and clarify during the court hearing date. They believe that these witnesses are only brought by the court to bring more charges on Mam Sonando.

មន្ត្រី​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់ នៃ​សមាគម​អាដហុក (Adhoc) លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បាន​បន្ត​បេសកកម្ម​ពី​ប្រទេស​ថៃ ទៅ​កាន់​ប្រទេស​ទី​បី​ទៀត គឺ​ប្រទេស​ស៊ុយអែត ដើម្បី​ចូល​រួម​ប្រជុំ​ស្ដីពី​ការ​គោរព​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ខណៈ​ដែល​លោក​ជាប់​បណ្ដឹង​នៅ​សាលា​ដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ ពី​បទ​ផ្ដល់​ជំនួយ​ចារី កាល​ពី​ខែ​សីហា កន្លង​ទៅ។

ដោយ​ឡែក ករណី​លោក ម៉ម សូណង់ដូ ជា​ប្រធាន​សមាគម​អ្នក​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នោះ តុលាការ​នឹង​បើក​សវនាការ​ជំនុំ​ជម្រះ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១១ កញ្ញា ខាង​មុខ ដែល​ជា​សំណុំ​រឿង​ទាក់​ទង​នឹង​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត ដែរ​នោះ។ ប៉ុន្តែ ក្រុម​មន្ត្រី​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ព្រួយ​បារម្ភ​ថា តុលាការ​បាន​កោះ​ហៅ​សាក្សី​រាប់​សិប​នាក់ ដើម្បី​មក​ឆ្លើយ​បំភ្លឺ​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ជំនុំ​ជម្រះ​លោក ម៉ម សូណង់ដូ នោះ​ជា​រឿង​ដាក់​បន្ទុក​លើ​រូប​លោក ម៉ម សំណង់ដូ។

មេធាវី​នៃ​អង្គការ​ជំនួយ​ផ្នែក​ច្បាប់​នៅ​កម្ពុជា លោក សំ សុខគង់ មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា កូន​ក្ដី​របស់​លោក គឺ​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត មិន​ទាន់​វិល​ត្រលប់​មក​កម្ពុជា​វិញ​ទេ​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៦ កញ្ញា ដោយ​សារ​តែ​បន្ត​បេសកកម្ម​នៅ​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស។ លោក សំ សុខគង់ អះអាង​ថា កូន​ក្ដី​របស់​លោក​នឹង​វិល​មក​កម្ពុជា​វិញ នៅ​ក្រោយ​ពេល​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បញ្ចប់​បេសកកម្ម​នៅ​ឯ​បរទេស។ ចំណែក​ឯ​តុលាការ​មិន​ទាន់​ចេញ​ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត ជា​ថ្មី​នៅ​ឡើយ​ដែរ។

Hun Xen's "Close the door, beat the dog" military operation in Proma village - by Anonymous

PM will hand-deliver titles [... if he does not change his mind again - Remember the ELC ban?]

Wednesday, 05 September 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

Prime Minister Hun Sen will personally deliver land titles to residents in Kratie province’s Snuol district on September 21 following the completion of the land measuring mission by volunteer youth there.

“I will go to Kratie’s Snuol district to distribute land titles for these residents for the first time. They are not provisional but complete land titles for ownership,” Hun Sen said during a graduation ceremony held at Koh Pich yesterday.

“Today all granted land titles following the measurement are declared complete, so the people in all those areas don’t need to face a transitional period,” the premier continued.

Human Rights Activist Arrested in Cambodia

August 31, 2012
By Luke Hunt
The Diplomat

The CCHR and OPCC were not alone in urging the government of Cambodia, which is the current ASEAN chair and a prospective member of the United Nations Security Council for 2013-14, to release Mam Sonando immediately.

On human rights and freedom of thought and expression, Cambodia has found the going tough. Stories about villagers evicted from their land, human rights workers being arrested, and those who prefer the opposition to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) being harassed are the stuff of daily headlines.

Chief among them is Mam Sonando, 70, Director of the independent Beehive Radio and President of the Democrat Association. He was arrested at his home on July 15 by about 20 police officers after being accused of leading a secessionist movement in northern Kratie province.

He is currently being held without bail even though the he returned willingly from overseas to answer questions despite having been jailed twice before for criticizing the government and taking a vocal stand against forced evictions and alleged land grabbing.

Independent Cambodian Radio Station Runs Without Jailed Owner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl1mJNNuH_o

August 29, 2012
Rick Valenzuela
Voice of America

PHNON PENH — Independent radio station owner Mam Sonando is in a Cambodian prison awaiting trial on charges of insurrection. He was Beehive Radio’s sole reporter, and its main on-air personality. But while he is gone from the airwaves, he has not been forgotten - especially among the station’s loyal listeners.

A few days a week, radio station owner Mam Sonando would go on air to talk to callers. Now, the station and its listeners have to do without him, as he sits in prison across town.

The DJ who's taking calls says Beehive is carrying on.

“There is no effect to the station's operations. It's a personal matter for the president. All the staff comes to work normally. Many staffers respect the station rules; we're not afraid at all,” Phiev said.

Beehive is one of the few independent media outlets in Cambodia, where many stations are controlled by political parties. Its broadcasts have won praise from rights activists for championing causes that other stations ignore. It also carries Voice of America programming.

Rights worker’s hearing delayed

Adhoc head of monitoring Chan Soveth at a press conference in Phnom Penh earlier this year. Photograph: Pha Lina/Phnom Penh Post

Friday, 24 August 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

A Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge yesterday approved a proposal to delay the case against human-rights worker Chan Soveth, according to his employer, Adhoc.

Soveth has been accused of providing assistance to “specific perpetrators”. Although the court did not provide names, an anonymous court official recently told the Post that the charges are related to an alleged secessionist plot in Kratie province’s Chhloung district, which authorities claim was led by Bun Ratha.

Ny Chakrya, the head of Adhoc’s monitoring section, said yesterday Judge Chhe Virak had notified Soveth’s lawyer that he had agreed to suspend the case, although he did not provide a future date.

Hun Xen's "FAKE" allegations against Bun Ratha

Hun Xen the terror monster: He falsely accuses others of secession to shut them up

Alleged secessionist plot leader has fighting words for PM Hun Sen

Wednesday, 22 August 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Wanted so-called secessionist plot ringleader Bun Ratha blasted Prime Minister Hun Sen during a radio interview yesterday, dismissing as “fake” allegations the premier has levelled against him, Beehive Radio Station director Mam Sonando and rights worker Chan Soveth.

Ratha, who fled into hiding just before he was targeted during a brutal security forces crackdown on a village in Kratie province that left a 14-year-old girl dead in April, is wanted along with several others for his alleged role in trying to form an autonomous mini-state.

During an interview with Radio Free Asia yesterday, Ratha said anyone who dared to question the government’s real motivation for the crackdown, which he maintains was to forcibly end a land dispute, was being targeted with the same fictitious allegations.

“I would like to deny that I am involved with Chan Soveth. And I think Mr Hun Sen is creating more fake evidence to shut up any official or people who dare to talk about the issue of Pro Ma village, Kampong Damrei commune in Kratie,” he told Radio Free Asia.

Activist Should ‘Come to Court’ [-Who can trust Phay Siphom?]

Council of Ministers spokesperson Phay Siphom in an undated photo. (RFA)

Cambodian authorities say a wanted land rights advocate should face the law.

2012-08-21

Radio Free Asia

Cambodian authorities on Tuesday challenged a rights activist in hiding to turn himself in and face prosecution for allegedly masterminding a plot by villagers to secede from Cambodia. [KI-Media Note: Either way he will be prosecuted, what kind of offer is that?]

But rights groups questioned whether Bun Ratha, who led a mass land revolt in May, would receive a fair trial.

Council of Ministers spokesperson Phay Siphan called on Bun Ratha, who gave an extensive interview to RFA’s Khmer service on Monday from an undisclosed destination, to appear in court to rebut government charges that he spearheaded a secessionist plot.

In the interview, Bun Ratha rejected government claims that he had instructed villagers in Kratie province’s Chhlong district to secede from the country.

“This is a matter of justice. What [Bun Ratha] said to Radio Free Asia can’t be regarded as a legal statement for the court to consider,” Phay Siphan said, adding that the land activist should come to the court to make his statement instead of issuing it through the media.

Interview with Bun Ratha, the man accused by Hun Xen of secession - សម្ភាស​លោក ប៊ុន រដ្ឋា ដែល​រង​ការ​ចោទ​ថា​ជា​មេខ្លោង​បង្កើត​តំបន់​អបគមន៍

2012-08-21
Radio Free Asia

សូម​ស្ដាប់​បទសម្ភាសន៍​របស់​លោក ជី វិតា ជាមួយ​លោក ប៊ុន រដ្ឋា៖

Hosted by Kiwi6 file hosting. Download mp3 - Free Music Hosting.

លោក ប៊ុន រដ្ឋា ដែល​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កម្ពុជា កំពុង​តាម​ចាប់​ខ្លួន ចោទ​ថា ជា​មេខ្លោង​ដឹកនាំ​ការ​បង្កើត​តំបន់​អបគមន៍ បាន​ប្រាប់​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ីសេរី ពី​ទី​លាក់​ខ្លួន​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៩ សីហា មក​ថា បទ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​មក​លើ​រូប​លោក​នោះ គឺ​ជា​ការ​ប្រឌិត និង​មួលបង្កាច់។ លើស​ពី​នេះ​ទៀត លោក​ថា រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កំពុង​បង្កើត​ហេតុការណ៍​ដើម្បី​ចាប់​អ្នក​ដែល​ហ៊ាន​និយាយ​ការ​ ពិត ឬ​ហ៊ាន​និយាយ​រិះគន់​រដ្ឋាភិបាល។ លោក​ថា ឧទាហរណ៍​ថ្មីៗ​នេះ មាន​លោក ម៉ម សូណង់ដូ ប្រធាន​វិទ្យុ​សំបុក​ឃ្មុំ កំពុង​ជាប់​ពន្ធនាគារ​ព្រៃ​ស ហើយ​ឥឡូវ​នេះ រដ្ឋាភិបាល​កំពុង​ប្រឌិត​រឿង​ដើម្បី​ចាប់​ខ្លួន​សកម្មជន​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត ទៀត​ផង។ លោក ប៊ុន រដ្ឋា ដែល​កំពុង​ភៀស​ខ្លួន​ពី​ការ​តាម​ចាប់​របស់​អាជ្ញាធរ​នោះ បាន​បញ្ជាក់​ថា មនុស្ស​ដែល​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​អះអាង​ថា ចេញ​ទៅ​សារភាព​នោះ មិន​មែន​ជា​ប្រជាជន​ដែល​ធ្វើ​កិច្ចការ​ជូន​ពលរដ្ឋ​ជាមួយ​លោក​នៅ​ភូមិ​ប្រម៉ា នោះ​ទេ ហើយ​ថា លោក​ក៏​មិន​ដែល​ទទួល​ជំនួយ​ណា​មួយ​ពី​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត មន្ត្រី​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​របស់​សមាគម​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អាដហុក (Adhoc) ឡើយ។

Activist in Hiding Denies Claims

Military police round up residents of Broma village, May 16, 2012.

Residents of Broma village hold homemade weapons in an undated photo. Credit: RFA

The Cambodian land activist says he did not push villagers to establish a self-governing zone.

2012-08-20

Radio Free Asia

A Cambodian activist sought by authorities for allegedly masterminding a plot by villagers to secede from Cambodia claims he is innocent and only acted on behalf of residents to save their land from encroachment by a foreign concession company.

Bun Ratha, director of the Cambodia-based NGO Democrat Association, denied government claims that he had led villagers from Kratie province’s Chhlong district in a clash with armed military personnel in May as part of an effort to establish a self-governing zone.

Speaking from an undisclosed location, the land activist said he was “framed” by the government and that he had only acted as a representative of the Broma villagers in Kompong Damrey commune who had rejected demands to vacate their farmland for several months.

“This is only Hun Sen’s excuse to blame me,” he said, referring to Cambodia’s prime minister, who had condemned the dispute in a nationally-televised speech two weeks ago.

“What I did was to demand land for the villagers.”

Accusations against Chan Soveth constitute freedom restriction and serious threats

អនុប្រធាន​ផ្នែក​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត នៃ​អង្គការ​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អាដហុក (Adhoc) លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត និយាយ​ក្នុង​ពិធី​ខួប​លើក​ទី​២០​របស់​អង្គការ​លីកាដូ (Licadho) កាល​ពី​យប់​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៦ ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។ (RFA/Sok Serey)

មូលហេតុ​​តុលាការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត

2012-08-18
ដោយ ខែ សុណង
Radio Free Asia

ក្រុម​មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​បាន​ចាត់​ទុក​ករណី​សាលា​ដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ​ចេញ​ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ​សកម្មជន​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ថា​ជា​ការ​បំបិទ​សិទ្ធិ​សេរីភាព និង​គំរាម​កំហែង​យ៉ាង​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ។

មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល​ជាង​២០​បាន​នាំ​គ្នា​រិះគន់​ថា ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បាន​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​បន្ទាប់​ពី​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្លែង​សន្ទរកថា​ជា​សាធារណៈ​នោះ។

ក្រុម​អ្នក​ច្បាប់ និង​មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​ផ្នែក​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អះអាង​ថា ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត អនុ​ប្រធាន​ផ្នែក​អង្កេត​នៃ​សមាគម​អាដហុក គឺ​ជា​រឿង​នយោបាយ ពីព្រោះ​លោក​មិន​បាន​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ដូច​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​នោះ​ឡើយ។

ចៅក្រម​ស៊ើបសួរ​សាលា​ដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ លោក ឆែ វីរៈ បាន​ចេញ​ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត ឲ្យ​ចូល​ខ្លួន​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ សីហា ទាក់ទង​ទៅ​នឹង​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​ពី​បទ ការ​ផ្ដល់​ជំនួយ​ដល់​ចារី ឬ​ផ្តល់​ជំនួយ​ដល់​អ្នក​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​បទ​ល្មើស​តាម​មាត្រា​៥៤៤ នៃ​ក្រម​ព្រហ្មទណ្ឌ។

ប្រធាន​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​កម្ពុជា ស៊ី​ស៊ី​អេក​អរ (C.C.H.R) លោក អ៊ូ វីរៈ បាន​រិះគន់​ថា ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត គឺ​ជា​រឿង​នយោបាយ ជា​ការ​គាប​សង្កត់​ទៅ​លើ​សិទ្ធិ​សេរីភាព​ការងារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ដែល​អាច​ឲ្យ​តុលាការ​ដែល​មិន​អាច​បញ្ចេញ​តួនាទី​បាន​ដោយ​ឯករាជ្យ។

Amid Kratie Crackdown, Fears of a ‘Downward Spiral’ for Freedoms

Police later said the protest was linked to a secessionist movement in the province, a claim that has not been widely supported, and began making arrests of alleged ringleaders.

Rights groups say the summons is a continuation of a campaign of intimidation against civil society in the wake of the Kratie crackdown.

Sok Khemara, Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

18 August 2012

WASHINGTON and PHNOM PENH - With prominent rights worker Chan Soveth summoned to court to face charges related to an ongoing secessionist crackdown, international and local rights advocates say they now fear a major backslide in the country’s civil rights.

Chan Soveth, lead investigator for the rights group Adhoc, has been summoned to appear before Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Aug. 24 and is accused of “providing assistance to the perpetrator” of a crime, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison under Cambodia’s criminal code.

Rights officials say the charges are related to the flight of a man named Bun Rotha, who is wanted in connection with a violent land protest in Kratie province in May, when authorities swept into the province’s Chlong district, Kampong Damei commune, forcing nearly 1,000 families to evict and shooting and killing a 14-year-old girl in the process.

Police later said the protest was linked to a secessionist movement in the province, a claim that has not been widely supported, and began making arrests of alleged ringleaders. Among four so far arrested was Beehive Radio owner Mam Sonando, who is accused of leading the movement through his Association of Democrats, a civic organization. He remains in jail awaiting trial, while his radio station, one of the last independent broadcast media outlets in the country, has struggled to continue its programming.

Cambodia: Judicial harassment of Mr. Chan Soveth

Chan Soveth (Photo: Ir Channa, RFI)

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY

KHM 004 / 0812 / OBS 075
Judicial harassment
Cambodia
August 16, 2012

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Cambodia.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources of a citation to appear in court issued against Mr. Chan Soveth, Senior Investigator and Deputy Head of the Monitoring Section of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC).

According to the information received, on August 9, 2012, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued a citation summoning Mr. Soveth to appear before an investigating judge on August 24, 2012.

Mr. Soveth was charged with “providing assistance to the perpetrator” of a “crime” under Article 544 of the Cambodian Criminal Code, and faces an imprisonment sentence of one to three years and a fine of two million to six million Riels.

Exact details behind this charge have not yet been disclosed by the government, but they appear to be connected to a long-standing land dispute in Kratie province. On May 16, 2012, the government sent in hundreds of armed security personnel, supported by helicopters, to evict villagers who were living in an area in Kratie province marked for development by a Russian company. During the eviction, Ms. Heng Chantha, a 14-year-old girl, was shot dead. Government officials later justified the operation by claiming the villagers, some of whom are members of the Independent Democrats Association, were part of a secession movement. ADHOC released a statement on May 17 and condemned the killing of the young girl[1]. It is believed that the charges against Mr. Soveth are linked to his sheltering of a land activist involved in this issue. The court citation was signed on August 9, 2012, just eight days after Prime Minister Hun Sen made accusatory references in a nationally televised speech to an unnamed “human rights worker” for his role in providing assistance to villagers in relation to this land dispute.

Joint Media Statement- Charges Against ADHOC Staffer

https://www.box.com/s/b15b50af2ace04d743a9



https://www.box.com/s/6a4eaf07cc79ba395973

Beehive Radio Owner Falling Ill in Prison, Wife Says

Mam Sonando supporters in front of the US embassy (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Mam Sonando has been in prison since his July 14 arrest, on charges he instigated a secessionist movement in Kratie province.

16 August 2012
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH - Jailed radio station owner Mam Sonando is falling ill for a second time in detention, due to hot weather and dirty bedding, his wife said Wednesday.

Mam Sonando, the owner of Beehive Radio, which carries VOA programming, among others, has been in prison since his July 14 arrest, on charges he instigated a secessionist movement in Kratie province.

His wife, Din Phanara, said Wednesday he is suffering from diarrhea and exhaustion and that his face is swollen.

Prey Sar Prison Chief Srun Leang told VOA Khmer that the hot weather had made a number of prisoners ill recently, but he said Mam Sonando was recovering after medical treatment at the prison. “He had a little stomach ache, but when he was on intravenous drip last night, he pulled it out,” the chief said. “And then he had a high temperature. Right now his health has become better.”