Dam Sith’s lawyer calls on the court to question Ieng Sary10 June 2008
By Duong Sokha
Ka-set
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the original article in French
Click here to read the original article in Khmer
The defense lawyer for Dam Sith, the Editor-in-chief of the Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) newspaper who is temporarily detained since Sunday 08 June, following a lawsuit brought up by Hor Namhong for defamation and disinformation, does not want to stop there. The origin of his client’s arrest stemmed from his quoting of a speech given by opposition leader Sam Rainsy who declared that the government still includes former KR leaders, and Sam Rainsy went on to say that a minister of Foreign Affairs was the former leader of the Boeng Trabek camp under Pol pot. On Tuesday 10 June, lawyer Choung Choungy wrote to the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh municipal court, asking the latter to “summon Ieng Sary” to verify Hor Namhong’s statement given to the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper on 23 April 2008, in which Hor Namhong claimed that he maintained close relationships with Ieng Sary, KR Brother No. 3, during the KR regime. In his letter, Choung Choungy said that, Ieng Sary being a former KR leader, will be able to clarify about Hor Namhong’s role in the Boeng Trabek detention camp between 1975 and 1979.
In a press conference held at his party headquarters on Tuesday 10 June, Sam Rainsy claimed Dam Sith’s innocence, and he also indicated his optimism about the upcoming release of his colleague “through numerous reactions from foreign countries, human rights organizations, and journalists associations in Cambodia.” The Cambodian Human Rights League deplored once again that justice in Cambodia makes use of the criminal code rather than the civil code in order to rain down on a journalist, and it is also concerned about the hostile atmosphere towards the opposition parties during this pre-election period.
Sam Rainsy insisted during the press conference that Dam Sith did not commit any error, he was only “reporting in his newspaper my words.” “Dam Sith should not be the one pursued, they should come after me!” Sam Rainsy said. He also said that it was “a political affair invented by the ruling party with the aim of distracting the attention of the voters from real pressing problems, such as land disputes and the current price inflation.” Sam Rainsy concluded by saying: “I accept to be sent to jail in exchange for Dam Sith’s release!”
When asked about this issue, Kar Savuth, Hor Namhong’s defense lawyer, stressed that his client is “very angry.” He said that: “To this day, no amicable negotiation took place. Now, [these accusations] dishonor my client, whom I am reminding, won a lawsuit [on the same issue] in France against former king Norodom Sihanouk. He has proofs of his innocence and also witnesses.”
In a press conference held at his party headquarters on Tuesday 10 June, Sam Rainsy claimed Dam Sith’s innocence, and he also indicated his optimism about the upcoming release of his colleague “through numerous reactions from foreign countries, human rights organizations, and journalists associations in Cambodia.” The Cambodian Human Rights League deplored once again that justice in Cambodia makes use of the criminal code rather than the civil code in order to rain down on a journalist, and it is also concerned about the hostile atmosphere towards the opposition parties during this pre-election period.
Sam Rainsy insisted during the press conference that Dam Sith did not commit any error, he was only “reporting in his newspaper my words.” “Dam Sith should not be the one pursued, they should come after me!” Sam Rainsy said. He also said that it was “a political affair invented by the ruling party with the aim of distracting the attention of the voters from real pressing problems, such as land disputes and the current price inflation.” Sam Rainsy concluded by saying: “I accept to be sent to jail in exchange for Dam Sith’s release!”
When asked about this issue, Kar Savuth, Hor Namhong’s defense lawyer, stressed that his client is “very angry.” He said that: “To this day, no amicable negotiation took place. Now, [these accusations] dishonor my client, whom I am reminding, won a lawsuit [on the same issue] in France against former king Norodom Sihanouk. He has proofs of his innocence and also witnesses.”
