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Friday, 14 September 2012 May Titthara The Phnom Penh Post
Nine witnesses including two defendants who had previously cut immunity deals with the government — took the stand yesterday to testify against Mam Sonando, the jailed Beehive Radio director and president of the rights-education group Association of Democrats.
Speaking at the hearing, Lou Rabo, a deputy at the Internal Security Department of the Ministry of Interior, said investigations into Sonando’s activities outside Cambodia had revealed meetings in the US and Thailand with America-based dissenter Sourn Serey Ratha, whose Khmer People Power Movement recently filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court accusing the Cambodian government of crimes against humanity.
“I got all the documents on Sourn Serey Ratha through the internet,” Rabo said.
“Mam Sonando got the order from Soun Serey Ratha to establish a secessionist area and topple the government.”
Mam Sonando arriving in court on 14 September 2012
14 Sept 2012 By Sek Bandith and Sochivy Radio Free Asia Translated from Khmer by Soch
Mam Sonando indicated at the hearing that he will sue Sourn Serey Ratha if the latter used the name of the Association of Democrats as a shield to commit any crime.
On 14 September 2012, the Phnom Penh municipal court continued its hearing in the case involving Mam Sonando and those involved. This is the 4th day of the court hearing.
The hearing allowed Mam Sonando, the accused, to speak up about his observation and it also allowed his lawyer to speak up about the progress for the past 3 days of hearing.
During Friday’s morning hearing, the court allowed Mam Sonando to be the first – among 8 other accused – to speak up. Mam Sonando still claimed that he is not involved in forming any secession zone, and the Association of Democrats is only acting to help the poor in that region. He added that, if there is any intervention by members of his association, he said that they were only helping the local authority to resolve any issue that took place there.
As for the goal of his association, as well as his personal views, he only wants the people to understand about the law and freedom rights, and if there were any violence that took place, it was contrary to his view. Regarding a [government] witness who claimed that he is involved with Sourn Serey Ratha, the president of the US-based KPPM, he admitted that it was the case, however such relation took place because he was acting as a reporter only.
Mam Sonando arriving in court on 13 September 2012 (Photo: Tep Soravy, RFA)
Prosecution Says Beehive Owner Colluded With US Group
Mam Sonando has denied the charges, and rights groups say there is little evidence pointing to such a movement.
14 September 2012
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
PHNOM PENH - Court prosecutors on Thursday sought to tie Beehive Radio owner Mam Sonando with a US group they say is committed to toppling the current Cambodian government, as a third day of hearings ensued.
Mam Sonando, 71, is accused of leading a secessionist movement in Kratie province that, prosecutors say, was the cause of a violent clash between villagers and security forces there in May. Mam Sonando has denied the charges, and rights groups say there is little evidence pointing to such a movement.
In court Thursday, prosecution witness Lour Rabo, deputy director of the Ministry of Interior’s central security department, said Mam Sonando had met with a man named Sourn Serey Ratha, the leader of a US-based group called the Cambodian Action Committee for Justice and Equity, in Thailand and the US.
Lour Rabo said the group’s aim is to topple the Cambodian government, and that both men were working together to appeal to Cambodian-Americans to help overthrow the regime of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
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NEED WE ADD MORE?
The International Criminal Court requests more evidence of abuses by the Cambodian government.
2012-08-22
Radio Free Asia
“During Hun Sen’s leadership, of course there have been some mistakes, but those mistakes are not serious enough to be considered crimes against humanity” (sic!) - Cheam Yeap
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sought more details from a Cambodian rights group over a complaint lodged on “crimes against humanity” allegedly committed by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government against its people, according to the group.
Sourn Sereyratha leader of the Khmer People Power Movement (KPPM), claimed the ICC had requested witness statements and more evidence to back the organization’s complaint submitted two months ago against Cambodian Government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).
“After submitting the complaint on June 22, which requested the court to investigate crimes against humanity committed by the Phnom Penh government, our lawyers are now working with the ICC prosecutor,” he told RFA’s Khmer service.
“The court has requested that we pass on additional evidence for further investigation.”
Jul 24, 2012 By Clothilde Le Coz AsianCorrespondent.com
The Franco-Khmer Mam Sonando has been arrested on Sunday, July 15th and accused with « secessionism » by the Kratie province authorities. He is currently waiting for his trial in Pey Sor Jail, in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. According to most local activists, this accusation is a pretext to silence one of the most popular voice in the country.
« Whoever stands up to love the nation and protect the country is always short lived. And it is my turn this time.» Mam Sonando told Voice of America before coming back to Cambodia from his trip to France, Switzerland and the U.S. This realism cost him his freedom four days later, once the international attention left the country with Hillary Clinton and Asean dignitaries.
Mam Sonando is the owner and director of Beehive radio in Phnom Penh, known to broadcast programs from the opposition and civil society organizations. A lot of Cambodian citizens also know his face from trips he takes to the provinces with the Democrat Association to explain their rights to citizens. Although he was out of the country at that time, Prime Minister Hun Sen called for his arrest on June 26th, making him partly responsible for organizing a protest in Kratie province, that cost her life to a 14 year old girl.
Sok Sam Oeun, Mam Sonando’s lawyer, started to read the accusation dossier on July 19th. To him, it is not clear how his client is linked to the secessionnist movement in Kratie province. « Only two people are blaming Mam Sonando for ordering people from Prama to strike against land grabbing », he said. « I also read statements of persons who were arrested and charged by the governement after the protest in Prama, saying they protested becaues they listened to Mam Sonando’s words during a meeting at his house». But Mam Sonando answers that he meets many people every day and don’t remember if this was the case. « I still don’t believe the accusation of secessionism. In an American court, Mam Sonando would be free and the dossier would not prove enough. But in Cambodia, one cannot predict what might happen», the lawyer concluded.
