Showing posts with label Heng Pov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heng Pov. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 03, 2012
Monday, June 04, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
After Six Years on Run, Escapee Wants ‘Justice’ [-Peal Si Peal]
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| Hang Vuthy |
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
“I turned myself in to police because I want the court to find me justice.”
Police say they are investigating the reasons behind the sudden appearance of a former police official who escaped prison six years ago and is accused of several high-profile murders while in uniform.
Hang Vuthy, a former member of the Phnom Penh police, turned himself in at the offices of a local rights group on Friday, having lived on the lam since breaking out of Prey Sar prison in 2006.
“I turned myself in to police because I want the court to find me justice,” Hang Vuthy told VOA Khmer.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Cop’s six years on run end [-Peal Si Peal]
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| Hang Vuthy is taken into custody outside the Phnom Penh office of local rights group Licadho. Photo by Heng Chivoan |
Monday, 23 April 2012
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post
The right-hand man of a convicted former Phnom Penh municipal police chief had turned himself in after six years on the lam and was being detained in the Prey Sar correctional centre, officials confirmed yesterday.
Correctional centre chief Sun Lean said Hang Vuthy, 42 – nicknamed Yumareach, or “chief of all devils”, for his vigilance in arresting criminals while a policeman – had turned himself in at rights group Licadho’s head office on Friday.
Hang Vuthy had confessed to hiding in six provinces since a jailbreak with 11 other prisoners in 2006 while awaiting trial on murder charges, Sun Lean said.
Friday, April 20, 2012
យមរាជចេញសារភាពសុំចូលគុកវិញ [-Escapees asks to go back to jail?]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRUliE5lwyA
ថ្ងៃ សុក្រ 20 មេសា 2012
ដោយ លាង ដឺលុច
RFI
ហង្ស វុទ្ធីហៅយមរាជ ជាអតីតប៉ូលីសរាជធានីភ្នំពេញដែលបានលួចរត់ចេញពីមន្ទីរឃុំឃាំងព្រៃសកាលពីឆ្នាំ២០០៦នោះនៅថ្ងៃនេះស្រាប់តែលេចមុខចេញសារភាពដើម្បីចូលក្នុងមន្ទីរឃុំឃាំងវិញ។ យមរាជដែលគេឃើញជូនដំណើរដោយមេធាវី កៅ ស៊ូផាបានបង្ហាញខ្លួននៅឯទីស្នាក់ការកណ្តាលនៃអង្គការការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្សលីកាដូនិងក្រសួងមហាផ្ទៃដើម្បីស្វែងរកការជួយការពារសុវត្ថិភាព។ ហង្ស វុទ្ធីហៅយមរាជ អតីតមន្ត្រីប៉ូលីសរាជធានីភ្នំពេញគឺជាមនុស្សម្នាក់ក្នុងចំណោមមន្ត្រីប៉ូលីសមួយចំនួនទៀតដែលត្រូវចាប់ខ្លួនកាត់ទោសជាមួយលោកហេង ពៅអតីតស្នងការរាជធានីភ្នំពេញដែលត្រូវបានសង្ស័យថាបានប្រព្រឹត្តិអំពើឧក្រិដ្ឋជាច្រើនករណី។
កាលពីឆ្នាំ២០០៦ មានព័ត៌មានស្តីពីអ្នកទោសមួយក្រុមហែកគុកព្រៃសចេញ ហើយក្នុងចំណោមនោះ គឺមានឈ្មោះហង្ស វុទ្ធីហៅយមរាជដែលត្រូវបានចាប់ខ្លួនកាត់ទោសជាមួយក្រុមអតីតស្នងការរាជធានីភ្នំពេញហេង ពៅ ក្នុងសំណុំរឿងឧក្រិដ្ឋជាច្រើន។
នៅរសៀលថ្ងៃសុក្រទី២០មេសានេះ យមរាជដែលគេឃើញមានការរួមដំណើរពីលោកមេធាវីកៅ ស៊ូផាផងនោះបានមកដល់ទីស្នាក់ការកណ្តាលរបស់អង្គការការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្សលីកាដូ មុនធ្វើដំណើរទៅក្រសួងមហាផ្ទៃ។ ហង្ស វុទ្ធីបាននិយាយប្រាប់អ្នកកាសែតថា លោកចេញមកសារភាពចូលពន្ធនាគារវិញ ហើយលោកបានអះអាងថាលោកមិនបានហែកគុកចេញនោះទេ។ ទោះយ៉ាងនេះក្តី ក្រោយពីចេញរួចផុតពីពន្ធនាគារព្រៃស ហង្ស វុទ្ធីហៅយមរាជបានប្រាប់ថា ខ្លួនបានបន្លំខ្លួនធ្វើជាកម្មករនេសាទនៅក្នុងខេត្តកំពត និងបន្ទាប់ធ្វើជាកម្មករអូសរទេះនៅ ប៉ោយប៉ែត។
Friday, July 08, 2011
Friday, December 03, 2010
Heng Pov faces 100 years of jail time
 |
| Heng Pov |
 |
| Sao Sokha |
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Soch
In the afternoon of 02 Dec., the Appeal court decided to uphold the sentence handed down on Heng Pov by the Phnom Penh municipal court. Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh city police commissioner, ordered his subordinates to plan the assassination of Sao Sokha, the commander of the military police in Cambodia, he also ordered the killing of Judge Sok Sethamony. Heng Pov was sentenced to 16 years of jail time by the Phnom Penh municipal court for premeditated murder attempt. These are additional jail time on top of other sentences handed down to him. Heng Pov’s 5 co-defendants were sentenced to 15 years of jail time each for the failed murder attempt against Sao Sokha. In addition to his past sentences, Heng Pov faces almost 100 years of jail sentence. His co-defendants also face several decades of jail term.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Mystery over Hok Lundy’s chopper crash
Hok Lundy (in blue uniform) standing next to his boss and in-law Hun Xen (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)
Hok Lundy crashed helicopter (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)19 August 2010
By Tim Ravy
Free Press Magazine Online
Translated from Khmer by Soch and Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer
The person who was imbued with extreme power, a ruthless man whom everybody are scared of, a drug dealer whose name appeared on the US government blacklist, a leader of a successful coup d’état, a man who knew the in and out of the assassinations of countless politicians, journalists and actresses, that person was no other than the defunct General Hok Lundy. His death was a tragedy for his family and for those who use to reap profit from him, however, for the victims who suffered under his hands, Hok Lundy’s death is a wish that they have prayed for.
Following the 54th anniversary of Cambodia’s independence on 09 November 2008, 4-golden-star general Hok Lundy climbed on his personal helicopter with General Sok Sa’em, the deputy army chief of staff heading to Svay Rieng province, but a few hours later, it was reported that Hok Lundy’s helicopter crashed after lightning struck it. Nobody in the helicopter survived, two pilots also counted among the dead. The helicopter broke into pieces, and the body remains were no longer complete, i.e. all that were left were bits and pieces of flesh and bones that were spread and mixed up all over.
Investigating cops from the ministry of Interior (MoI) were dispatched to the spot in the middle of the night to check on this accident. The MoI cops indicated that the helicopter crashed from lightning strike, and not from sabotage. The announcement of this hypothesis calmed down the emotion reigning among many people.
Villagers living near the crash scene claimed that during that evening, they heard a loud explosion noise in the air that was very unusual, then they saw the helicopter flying above the trees falling down and exploded one more time. The villagers all went to look at the helicopter which exploded into pieces all over the place and smoke was bellowing out. Some of villagers tried to find money and jewelry among the debris because they didn’t know it was Hok Lundy’s body. It was not until the cops and the local authority arrived to look at the situation for the anarchy on the scene to stop.
General Sok Sa’em was a Svay Rieng native, he used to be the army commander for Kratie province for more than 10 years. During the 1997 coup d’état, he took his soldiers from Kratie and set them up in a beltway located between Phnom Penh Thmei and Tuol Kok, i.e. from the Traloak Bek area to the national TV antenna. The goal of the beltway was to prevent Nhek Bun Chhay’s Funcinpec army from entering Phnom Penh, and it was also a beltway to protect the houses of top government officials in Tuol Kok as well. It was after the success of the coup that he was promoted to deputy army chief of staff.
General Hok Lundy who was of Viet descent, was the former Phnom Penh city governor whose hands were covered with blood for ordering the crackdown of students in 1992. He was transferred to Svay Rieng to occupy the position of provincial governor before Hun Xen promoted him to the national police commissioner in 1994. Hun Xen and Hok Lundy met in Vietnam prior to 1979 and later the pair became in-laws. In 1997, Hok Lundy became the coup leader by ordering the killing of several dozens of high-ranking Funcinpec army officers, including General Ho Sok, the secretary of state at the minister of Interior who was arrested [and later shot and killed]. General Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh police commissioner who was also a blood enemy of Hok Lundy, unmasked him, saying that Hok Lundy was involved with numerous crimes. Brad Adams, the director of Human Rights Watch for Asia, claimed that after Hun Xen, Hok Lundy was the most fearful man in Cambodia.
There was no surprise in Brad Adams’ assertion because even local human rights organizations, opposition officials, labor union officials, as well as those around Hok Lundy clearly knew about this fact. Furthermore, the US government even blacklisted him for his involvement in human and drug trafficking in 2004, and the US even canceled his visa for a visit to the US.
A reliable source indicated that Hok Lundy was the one who openly allowed Thai fishing boats to illegally come into Cambodian waters. The large casinos in Phnom Penh and along the border were all under Hok Lundy’s protection because the casino owners paid him each month several tens of thousands of dollars. Casino workers confirmed that Hok Lundy would show up in the casinos very often at night time. He was gambling with rich Chinese tycoons and in one evening he could lose up to $1 million, he also owed the casinos and sometime he would pay them back, but sometime, he wouldn’t. Hok Lundy’s action displeased the top CPP leaders, but when he died, several people were overjoyed, including Sar Kheng, the minister of Interior. For that occasion, Sar Kheng even had his gray hair dyed all black.
Immediately after the helicopter explosion, a group of US students and professors from a polytechnic institute in California conducted a scientific experiment. They used a small helicopter loaded with passengers, then they subjected it to artificial lightning, but the helicopter engine did not have a short circuit, nor did it explode from lightning and thunder. Based on the experiment above, it can be concluded that the helicopter carrying Hok Lundy could not explode from lightning, unlike what the Cambodian police claimed, but it was most likely subjected to a bomb explosion.
The hypothesis advanced by the US researchers seemed to be reliable because when one travel by plane at night time, planes have to cross rains, thunders and lightning, but the plane never met any danger. Furthermore, if the helicopter engine had a short circuit and fell down, then it wouldn’t fall into bits and pieces like this, and the passenger bodies would not be broken into pieces like this either because the helicopter was flying at a low altitude.
There are two possible suspicions: (1) there were an explosion from the grenades the two generals took with them, and (2) there was a planned sabotage. Analysts claimed that the explosion from grenade that they took with them could be plausible because nearby villagers heard the explosion in mid-air and the plane fell immediately afterward, that was why the bodies were torn apart into small unrecognizable pieces. Nevertheless, the planned sabotage hypothesis is also credible because Hok Lundy was not the only person in Cambodia who can plan a sabotage attack [like the 1997 coup], there are others who also have this ability and they are his enemies or the enemies of his boss, and they have the ability to end the life of this “ferocious tiger” as well. Hok Lundy’s own boss could also be the one who decided to end his life because this tiger is getting more ferocious, he no longer listened to his bosses and his ill reputation was spreading both inside and outside the country, in particular from his drug and human trafficking activities, etc… Therefore, a secret plan was concocted to save the face of the government and the ruling CPP party.
The two hypotheses above are more plausible than the claim made by the Cambodian police which blamed the accident on the weather condition. It is suspected that the on-scene investigators have found bomb pieces, but this truth was hidden from the public. Nevertheless, a ferocious terrorist leader whose hands are sullied with blood of several dozens of victims had left this world already, this is a wakeup call for all the current leaders who are involved in misdeeds, telling them to return to the right path in order to avoid Hok Lundy’s fate.
Following the 54th anniversary of Cambodia’s independence on 09 November 2008, 4-golden-star general Hok Lundy climbed on his personal helicopter with General Sok Sa’em, the deputy army chief of staff heading to Svay Rieng province, but a few hours later, it was reported that Hok Lundy’s helicopter crashed after lightning struck it. Nobody in the helicopter survived, two pilots also counted among the dead. The helicopter broke into pieces, and the body remains were no longer complete, i.e. all that were left were bits and pieces of flesh and bones that were spread and mixed up all over.
Investigating cops from the ministry of Interior (MoI) were dispatched to the spot in the middle of the night to check on this accident. The MoI cops indicated that the helicopter crashed from lightning strike, and not from sabotage. The announcement of this hypothesis calmed down the emotion reigning among many people.
Villagers living near the crash scene claimed that during that evening, they heard a loud explosion noise in the air that was very unusual, then they saw the helicopter flying above the trees falling down and exploded one more time. The villagers all went to look at the helicopter which exploded into pieces all over the place and smoke was bellowing out. Some of villagers tried to find money and jewelry among the debris because they didn’t know it was Hok Lundy’s body. It was not until the cops and the local authority arrived to look at the situation for the anarchy on the scene to stop.
General Sok Sa’em was a Svay Rieng native, he used to be the army commander for Kratie province for more than 10 years. During the 1997 coup d’état, he took his soldiers from Kratie and set them up in a beltway located between Phnom Penh Thmei and Tuol Kok, i.e. from the Traloak Bek area to the national TV antenna. The goal of the beltway was to prevent Nhek Bun Chhay’s Funcinpec army from entering Phnom Penh, and it was also a beltway to protect the houses of top government officials in Tuol Kok as well. It was after the success of the coup that he was promoted to deputy army chief of staff.
General Hok Lundy who was of Viet descent, was the former Phnom Penh city governor whose hands were covered with blood for ordering the crackdown of students in 1992. He was transferred to Svay Rieng to occupy the position of provincial governor before Hun Xen promoted him to the national police commissioner in 1994. Hun Xen and Hok Lundy met in Vietnam prior to 1979 and later the pair became in-laws. In 1997, Hok Lundy became the coup leader by ordering the killing of several dozens of high-ranking Funcinpec army officers, including General Ho Sok, the secretary of state at the minister of Interior who was arrested [and later shot and killed]. General Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh police commissioner who was also a blood enemy of Hok Lundy, unmasked him, saying that Hok Lundy was involved with numerous crimes. Brad Adams, the director of Human Rights Watch for Asia, claimed that after Hun Xen, Hok Lundy was the most fearful man in Cambodia.
There was no surprise in Brad Adams’ assertion because even local human rights organizations, opposition officials, labor union officials, as well as those around Hok Lundy clearly knew about this fact. Furthermore, the US government even blacklisted him for his involvement in human and drug trafficking in 2004, and the US even canceled his visa for a visit to the US.
A reliable source indicated that Hok Lundy was the one who openly allowed Thai fishing boats to illegally come into Cambodian waters. The large casinos in Phnom Penh and along the border were all under Hok Lundy’s protection because the casino owners paid him each month several tens of thousands of dollars. Casino workers confirmed that Hok Lundy would show up in the casinos very often at night time. He was gambling with rich Chinese tycoons and in one evening he could lose up to $1 million, he also owed the casinos and sometime he would pay them back, but sometime, he wouldn’t. Hok Lundy’s action displeased the top CPP leaders, but when he died, several people were overjoyed, including Sar Kheng, the minister of Interior. For that occasion, Sar Kheng even had his gray hair dyed all black.
Immediately after the helicopter explosion, a group of US students and professors from a polytechnic institute in California conducted a scientific experiment. They used a small helicopter loaded with passengers, then they subjected it to artificial lightning, but the helicopter engine did not have a short circuit, nor did it explode from lightning and thunder. Based on the experiment above, it can be concluded that the helicopter carrying Hok Lundy could not explode from lightning, unlike what the Cambodian police claimed, but it was most likely subjected to a bomb explosion.
The hypothesis advanced by the US researchers seemed to be reliable because when one travel by plane at night time, planes have to cross rains, thunders and lightning, but the plane never met any danger. Furthermore, if the helicopter engine had a short circuit and fell down, then it wouldn’t fall into bits and pieces like this, and the passenger bodies would not be broken into pieces like this either because the helicopter was flying at a low altitude.
There are two possible suspicions: (1) there were an explosion from the grenades the two generals took with them, and (2) there was a planned sabotage. Analysts claimed that the explosion from grenade that they took with them could be plausible because nearby villagers heard the explosion in mid-air and the plane fell immediately afterward, that was why the bodies were torn apart into small unrecognizable pieces. Nevertheless, the planned sabotage hypothesis is also credible because Hok Lundy was not the only person in Cambodia who can plan a sabotage attack [like the 1997 coup], there are others who also have this ability and they are his enemies or the enemies of his boss, and they have the ability to end the life of this “ferocious tiger” as well. Hok Lundy’s own boss could also be the one who decided to end his life because this tiger is getting more ferocious, he no longer listened to his bosses and his ill reputation was spreading both inside and outside the country, in particular from his drug and human trafficking activities, etc… Therefore, a secret plan was concocted to save the face of the government and the ruling CPP party.
The two hypotheses above are more plausible than the claim made by the Cambodian police which blamed the accident on the weather condition. It is suspected that the on-scene investigators have found bomb pieces, but this truth was hidden from the public. Nevertheless, a ferocious terrorist leader whose hands are sullied with blood of several dozens of victims had left this world already, this is a wakeup call for all the current leaders who are involved in misdeeds, telling them to return to the right path in order to avoid Hok Lundy’s fate.
Monday, May 03, 2010
Torture at Prey Sar: Heng Pov
Former municipal police chief Heng Pov is led into the Appeal Court before a hearing on Friday. (Photo by: Sovan Philong)Monday, 03 May 2010
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post
DISGRACED former Phnom Penh municipal police chief Heng Pov has accused Prey Sar prison workers of overseeing the torture and beatings of inmates.
Speaking Friday while awaiting an Appeal Court hearing during which he sought to overturn a conviction on attempted murder charges, Heng Pov said he has seen prison guards at the prison “torture” inmates.
“They even ask outsiders to beat the prisoners,” Heng Pov told a Post reporter. “I would like the Ministry of Interior as well as Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng to know about this and look into the problem.”
Heng Pov said he also has evidence demonstrating that prison guards were responsible for the 2008 death of 24-year-old Heng Touch, whose family has long believed he was beaten to death while in custody.
“Heng Touch was beaten to death,” Heng Pov said. “But [authorities] pretended to save him by sending him to hospital and accusing him of committing suicide. I have enough evidence and witnesses.”
At the time, local rights groups and UN officials urged authorities to investigate the death, but prison officials called the claims “an exaggeration” and insisted Heng Touch died while trying to commit suicide.
Despite the allegations, Heng Pov said he believes most guards at Prey Sar are well-behaved; it is only “bad officials” who commit crimes, he said.
Prison officials and government authorities on Friday rejected Heng Pov’s claims.
“What he said is his right,” said Mong Kim Heng, the director of Prey Sar prison. “But the fact is, his accusations aren’t true. Prisoners receive healthcare like any other person, even though they have lost their freedom to go into the outside world.”
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak defended prison officials, calling Heng Pov’s claims unacceptable.
“Heng Pov is a prisoner, so prisoners will never say something good about prison officials,” Khieu Sopheak said.
However, rights groups say they believe questions linger over Heng Touch’s death.
“The court has not issued any charges for any suspect yet. It is quiet,” said Am Sam Ath, the senior monitoring supervisor for local rights group Licadho.
“Justice has not been given in this case for the family of the victim.”
And he said that although his monitors have not witnessed in-custody torture or beatings with their own eyes, they have heard many allegations from incarcerated inmates.
“What Heng Pov and the letters we received said about torture are similar,” he said. “So the torture may exist.”
In court on Friday, Heng Pov denied any involvement in a 2005 attack that left an Electricite du Cambodge employee, Kim Daravuth, paralysed, saying he had never even met the victim.
“I did not order, facilitate or execute the plan to kill him,” Heng Pov told the court. “I never knew Kim Daravuth.”
Appeal Court Judge Chuon Sunleng said a decision on the appeal would be handed down on May 20.
Heng Pov has proved to be a controversial figure in recent years. He was widely feared while he was the police chief of Phnom Penh’s municipal police force. Following his arrest in 2006, he was eventually convicted on a slew of charges including extortion, kidnapping and murder, and sentenced to more than 90 years in prison cumulatively.
Before his arrest, Heng Pov said he was the victim of government persecution for what he said were his efforts to speak out about human rights violations and rampant corruption.
But Heng Pov appears to have had a recent change of heart, and has authored a book, released in April, that praises Prime Minister Hun Sen as a skillful leader.
Speaking Friday while awaiting an Appeal Court hearing during which he sought to overturn a conviction on attempted murder charges, Heng Pov said he has seen prison guards at the prison “torture” inmates.
“They even ask outsiders to beat the prisoners,” Heng Pov told a Post reporter. “I would like the Ministry of Interior as well as Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng to know about this and look into the problem.”
Heng Pov said he also has evidence demonstrating that prison guards were responsible for the 2008 death of 24-year-old Heng Touch, whose family has long believed he was beaten to death while in custody.
“Heng Touch was beaten to death,” Heng Pov said. “But [authorities] pretended to save him by sending him to hospital and accusing him of committing suicide. I have enough evidence and witnesses.”
At the time, local rights groups and UN officials urged authorities to investigate the death, but prison officials called the claims “an exaggeration” and insisted Heng Touch died while trying to commit suicide.
Despite the allegations, Heng Pov said he believes most guards at Prey Sar are well-behaved; it is only “bad officials” who commit crimes, he said.
Prison officials and government authorities on Friday rejected Heng Pov’s claims.
“What he said is his right,” said Mong Kim Heng, the director of Prey Sar prison. “But the fact is, his accusations aren’t true. Prisoners receive healthcare like any other person, even though they have lost their freedom to go into the outside world.”
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak defended prison officials, calling Heng Pov’s claims unacceptable.
“Heng Pov is a prisoner, so prisoners will never say something good about prison officials,” Khieu Sopheak said.
However, rights groups say they believe questions linger over Heng Touch’s death.
“The court has not issued any charges for any suspect yet. It is quiet,” said Am Sam Ath, the senior monitoring supervisor for local rights group Licadho.
“Justice has not been given in this case for the family of the victim.”
And he said that although his monitors have not witnessed in-custody torture or beatings with their own eyes, they have heard many allegations from incarcerated inmates.
“What Heng Pov and the letters we received said about torture are similar,” he said. “So the torture may exist.”
In court on Friday, Heng Pov denied any involvement in a 2005 attack that left an Electricite du Cambodge employee, Kim Daravuth, paralysed, saying he had never even met the victim.
“I did not order, facilitate or execute the plan to kill him,” Heng Pov told the court. “I never knew Kim Daravuth.”
Appeal Court Judge Chuon Sunleng said a decision on the appeal would be handed down on May 20.
Heng Pov has proved to be a controversial figure in recent years. He was widely feared while he was the police chief of Phnom Penh’s municipal police force. Following his arrest in 2006, he was eventually convicted on a slew of charges including extortion, kidnapping and murder, and sentenced to more than 90 years in prison cumulatively.
Before his arrest, Heng Pov said he was the victim of government persecution for what he said were his efforts to speak out about human rights violations and rampant corruption.
But Heng Pov appears to have had a recent change of heart, and has authored a book, released in April, that praises Prime Minister Hun Sen as a skillful leader.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Heng Pov pens book lauding PM
Former municipal police chief Heng Pov’s new book is displayed for sale Tuesday along Street 51 near Sihanouk Boulevard. (Photo by: Pha Lina)Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Cheang Sokha and James O'toole
The Phnom Penh Post
He also alleged that actress Piseth Pilika, who was shot and killed in 1999, was gunned down on orders from first lady Bun Rany, who he said had learned of an affair between the starlet and her husband, and accused local tycoon Mong Reththy of involvement in drug trafficking.FORMER Phnom Penh municipal police chief Heng Pov has written a book from prison that offers effusive praise for Prime Minister Hun Sen, in what observers say is a marked turn from previous public comments and may be an attempt to secure a pardon.
The book was first distributed to stores in central Phnom Penh on Tuesday, with Heng Pov’s preface dated January 2010. In the 227-page volume, titled Strategy to Extinguish War in Cambodia, Heng Pov offers an analysis of recent Cambodian history and politics that describes Hun Sen as the Kingdom’s most skillful leader and refers to him by his full honorific.
“The special condition of the diplomatic strategy of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen is not to consider any philosophy, country or religion as an enemy of Cambodia with whom we cannot compromise or reconcile,” Heng Pov writes, offering similar praise for the premier’s role in domestic politics.
“Samdech Techo never considered other Cambodian politicians as life-or-death enemies with whom he cannot compromise or reconcile,” he says.
Kao Soupha, Heng Pov’s lawyer, said he had proofread the book prior to publication. He said Heng Pov’s aim in writing it had been to demonstrate his patriotism and to describe Hun Sen’s political career.
“This book is not written simply to praise Hun Sen, but to show the facts of his leadership of the country,” Kao Soupha said.
Heng Pov, a widely feared leader during his time as police chief, was arrested in 2006 and sentenced last year to over 90 years in prison on a raft of charges including extortion, kidnapping and murder. He is scheduled to appear at the Appeal Court on April 30 to contest three of the cases against him, though Kao Soupha said that at this point, Heng Pov’s only hope is for the prime minister to come to his aid.
“For Heng Pov’s case, the court will never find justice for him, and only Hun Sen can save him,” Kao Soupha said.
Heng Pov’s praise for Hun Sen stands in stark contrast to previous public statements, including a 2006 interview with the French weekly L’Express in which he accused Hun Sen and former national police chief Hok Lundy of being behind the 1997 grenade attack on a Sam Rainsy Party rally and numerous other assassinations of opposition or political figures.
He also alleged that actress Piseth Pilika, who was shot and killed in 1999, was gunned down on orders from first lady Bun Rany, who he said had learned of an affair between the starlet and her husband, and accused local tycoon Mong Reththy of involvement in drug trafficking. These allegations have been denied.
Heng Pov has claimed innocence of the charges against him, alleging that they were engineered by Hok Lundy, his former rival.
Hok Lundy was killed in a helicopter crash in 2008, a fact that Cambodian Defenders Project director Sok Sam Oeun said may have played into Heng Pov’s decision to write the book.
“The enemy of Heng Pov, Hok Lundy, is dead, so maybe Heng Pov thinks he has a chance to be pardoned by the prime minister,” Sok Sam Oeun said. He added that for a case involving a high-profile political figure – Heng Pov is also a former adviser to Hun Sen – a pardon could indeed be possible.
Hang Chhaya, executive director of the Khmer Institute for Democracy, said the book might have been conceived as an attempt to “appease” Hun Sen. Though he said a pardon could be possible, he argued that given the severity of Heng Pov’s past statements, the premier may be unlikely to offer leniency.
“The fallout was so deep,” he said. “I know that sometimes the prime minister does have a change of heart over political-related court cases, but this one is a difficult one.”
Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith said that Heng Pov may indeed be angling for clemency, but declined to offer a response without first reviewing the book.
“He has the free time to write – that might be the intention – but because I didn’t see the book, it would be difficult for me to make any comment,” Khieu Kanharith said, adding that government staffers could “make excerpts” for Hun Sen if they were deemed of interest.
Nearly US$1 million in Heng Pov’s personal bank accounts has frozen following his arrest, and he wrote to Hun Sen last year in a bid to secure funding for family and legal expenses, asking the prime minister to “intervene to allow me to withdraw some money from the bank, with forgiveness”. This request, however, went unheeded.
Prey Sar prison director Mong Kim Heng said Tuesday that despite his former stature, Heng Pov has received no special treatment in jail.
“He has nothing to do each day besides exercise,” Mong Kim Heng said, “and I have observed that he likes reading and writing in his free time.”
"Who's your daddy?": Heng Pov wrote a book praising Hun Xen … because only Hun Xen can save his neck
Heng Pov, Cambodia's top criminal and former personal advisor of Cambodia's "top diplomat" Hun Xen
Hun Xen, alleged Cambodia' "top diplomat", seen here blasting at Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva: Hun Xen's hot rod diplomacy?21 April 2010
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh police commissioner who is currently jailed in Prey Sar prison, wrote a book titled: “Strategy to snuff out war in Cambodia” in which he praised Hun Xen. The Phnom Penh Post reported that near the end of the 227-page book which was published last January, Heng Pov praised Hun Xen, calling him the “top diplomat” among all the past Cambodian leaders. An excerpt quoted by the Phnom Penh Post stated: “the special factor of the diplomatic strategy of Samdach Akkok Moha Xena Bat Dey Dek Cho Hun Xen is that he does not consider any viewpoint, any country or any religion as an enemy that cannot negotiate with Cambodia. Samdach never considers the tendency of all Cambodian politicians as his life and death enemy, or that there can be no negotiations with them, or that there can be no arrangements made with them, this means that they are simply political opponents who can be negotiated or make arrangement with…” Kao Supha, Heng Pov’s defense lawyer, said that Heng pov did not write to praise Hun Xen, but only to tell the truth about Hun Xen’s country leadership. He added that, regarding the lawsuits against Heng Pov, the court cannot provide justice for his client, only Hun Xen can save his client’s neck.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Anti-drug trafficking officer arrested for drug possession
19 October 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Following the suspension of the director of the anti-drug trafficking of the Phnom Penh police office on 09 October, Touch Muy Sor was arrested in the afternoon of 15 October 2009 at the Ministry of Interior. The arrest of Touch Muy Sor takes place 2 days after 8,000 methamphetamine (ecstasy) pills were found hidden in his office. These 8,000 ecstasy pills are valued at about $100,000. According to a group of police officers, Major Touch Muy Sor became the director of the anti-drug trafficking office when Heng Pov was the Phnom Penh police commissioner, and Touch Muy Sor was one of Heng Pov’s close confidants and right hand men.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Chea Mony could face lawsuit
Chea Mony (C), the younger brother of Chea Vichea (Photo: Khmer Sthabna)20 August 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Chea Mony, the younger brother of Chea Vichea and the President of the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), was threatened with a lawsuit by the ministry of Interior because he said that the government could be involved in the planning of the murder of his elder brother six years ago. According to a government official, Chea Mony could face a lawsuit because of his accusation on the government for involvement in the murder of Chea Vichea. On Tuesday, Chea Mony told The Phom Penh Post newspaper that he recognized what he said during the hearing at the Appeal Court, and he claimed that he is not afraid of the lawsuit from the ministry of Interior. Chea Mony said: “I am not concerned at all, if the ministry of Interior wants to sue, it’s their right, I welcome this lawsuit.” He indicated that what he said was not surprising because what Born Samning and Sok Sam Oeun, the two persons accused with the murder, said during the appeal hearing was sufficient enough, i.e. Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh police commissioner, and Ly Rasy Hun Song, anpolice official working under Heng Pov, belong to the group involved in the murder of his brother.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Heng Pov's accomplice who is Gen. Dul Koeun's bodyguard arrested for attempted murder of editor-in-chief of Koh Santepheap newspaper
+Hok+Lundy(l).jpg)
Col. Pheng Phay in handcuff (top). Gen. Dul Keoun (R) and the late Gen. Hok Lundy (L) were arch-rivals (bottom).Doeum Ampil News
22nd Feb, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization
Gen. Dul Koeun's bodyguard was arrested for attempted murder of Koh Santepheap's editor-in-chief more than 10 years ago.
Col. Pheng Phay, a police officer attached to the Ministry of Interior and a bodyguard of Gen. Dul Koeun, chief of Logistics and Finance of Ministry of Interior, was arrested by a group of military police on the morning of 21st February on Norodom Boulevard while returning from dropping off Gen. Dul Koeun at a golf club.
The Phnom Penh Court has issued an arrest warrant for Col. Phay Pheng since nearly two years ago. The police found Col. Phay Pheng after they received the arrest warrant but were scared to arrest him hecause he was a colonel working in the Ministry of Interior and because he was a bodyguard of Gen. Dul Koeun. But recently, the police received an order from the higher authority to arrest him.
Oknha Thong Uy Pang, editor-in-chief of The Koh Santepheap Daily, and one of his bodyguards were shot and wounded when attending a religious ceremony organised by his family at Wat Teuk Thla on the outskirt of Phnom Penh more than 10 years ago. During the shoot out, one of the attackers, presumed to be Heng Veng who is the brother of Gen. Heng Pov, was wounded but he has escaped arrest. Heng Veng was then put on a plane to get treatment in Vietnam. At that time, Heng Pov claimed that his brother was wounded during an operation to crackdown on drug-traffickers.
After Gen. Heng Pov, Commissioner of Phnom Penh Police, had a fall out with Prime Minister Hun Sen in 2006, he was accused of masterminding the assassination attempt on Oknha Thong Uy Pang. Gen. Heng Pov was extradited from Malaysia and arrested along with his alleged accomplice, Tram Vuthy alias Ly Rasy. Two other alleged accomplices, Heng Veng and Phay Pheng, remain at large until Phay Pheng was arrested on the morning of 21st February, 2009.
There are reports that, after the arrest of Phay Pheng, Gen. Dul Koeun has strongly intervened to secure his release but the court told him that it cannot release Col. Phay Pheng because they are afraid that they might have a problem with the "higher authority".
Doeum Ampil News was unable to contact Gen. Dul Koeun in relations to the above allegations and the arrest of Col. Phay Pheng.
It must be noted that Gen. Dul Koeun, like Gen. Heng Pov, was an arch-rival of the National Police Commissioner, the late Gen. Hok Lundy.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Former Phnom Penh police commissioner Heng Pov demands to be able to pay his lawyer himself
Heng Pov (C) sitting next to his lawyer (L) (Photo: Koh Santepheap)19-02-2009
By Ros Dina (and Laurent Le Gouanvic) Ka-set
Former chief of the municipal police of Phnom Penh Heng Pov, sentenced to more than 58 years of prison in six cases - including the murder of judge Sok Sethamony - and a suspect in three more cases, was granted on Tuesday February 17th an adjournment in his trial before the Court of Appeal of Cambodia, after claiming he was not able to pay the lawyer of his choice due to his bank account being frozen by the authorities.
Heng Pov was due to answer charges of illegal possession and use of weapons at the Appeal Court, in a case for which he had been sentenced by the Municipal Court of Phnom Penh in 2007 to spend 18 months in prison and pay two million riels. In the end, the former commissioner only spent a few minutes at the stand on Tuesday, in the cramped and crowded courtroom of the Appeal Court.
Click to Read More...
Heng Pov was due to answer charges of illegal possession and use of weapons at the Appeal Court, in a case for which he had been sentenced by the Municipal Court of Phnom Penh in 2007 to spend 18 months in prison and pay two million riels. In the end, the former commissioner only spent a few minutes at the stand on Tuesday, in the cramped and crowded courtroom of the Appeal Court.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Scapegoats
Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)Sunday, November 16, 2008
Bondasa Hor 3 - "The 3H curse": A Poem in Khmer by Srey Sra'em
Click on the poem in Khmer to zoom in
Poem in Khmer by Srey Sra'em
Poem in Khmer by Srey Sra'em
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Hok Lundy, Cambodia’s top cop, killed in a helicopter accident
Phnom Penh (Cambodia) 26 June 2008. Police chief Hok Lundy is seen leaving his helicopter following a visit to the site of the PMT Air plane crash in Kampot province the day before (Photo: Archive, Stringer)10 Nov 2008
By Duong Sokha and Stéphanie Gée
Ka-set
Unofficial translation from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
Click here to read the article in Khmer
Hok Lundy, Cambodia’s top cop – who held this position since 1994 – seems to be immovable. 58-year-old, the 4-star general died in the early evening on Sunday 09 November in a helicopter crash while he was traveling from Phnom Penh to Svay Rieng, his birth province located in Cambodia’s southeast. None of the four passengers in the helicopter – Hok Lundy, General Sok Saem, deputy commander of the Cambodian infantry, and two pilots – survived the crash.
Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman, indicated on Monday 10 November that he did not know the reason for this travel which took place following the celebration of the 55th anniversary of Cambodia’s independence, an event in which Hok Lundy was present. On Monday morning, General Sok Phal, deputy police commissioner, visited Hok Lundy’s home to pay his respect. He refused to provide any comment on this affair to the news media while indicating that an investigation has been opened on the case. He added that Neth Savoeun will take over the command of the national police while waiting for the nomination of a replacement for Hok Lundy. His funeral – the date of which has not been set or announced yet – will be held in Svay Rieng where he died.
An official often criticized by human rights activists
After he was nominated as governor of Svay Rieng in 1993, Hok Lundy was nominated as general director at the ministry of Interior in charge of police. He nevertheless remained very active in his province where he opened a private university. Holding a good position among Hun Sen’s closed guards – the two consolidated their links through the wedding of their children – Hok Lundy was not a friend of human rights groups. Untouchable, the numerous allegations about his role in human and drug trafficking, or the murder of officials did not push him out of his positions. He liked to repeat in interviews he gave out to the press that he has nothing to blame himself with, while calling his detractors to provide proof of their accusations.
Heng Pov’s accusations
Union leader Chea Vichea, the star Piseth Pilika, Minister Ho Sok: these were three murders ordered by Hok Lundy, Heng Pov made these sensational revelations to the French magazine L’Express while he was on the run out of the country. In an interview reported under the title “Hun Sen’s dirty jobs” and published in the weekly French magazine in August 2006, Heng Pov did not hesitate to accuse his boss in the March 1997 grenade attack against a demonstration led by Sam Rainsy. The attack left 12 people dead. He also presented Hok Lundy as being the perpetrator of “illegal acts” for Hun Sen, and he added that their conniving started all the way back when the pair met each other in Vietnam in 1979. Shortly thereafter, Heng Pov’s whereabout was found and he was extradited back to Cambodia where he is currently sitting in jail for a number of crimes and infractions that the Cambodian court charged him for.
Hok Lundy rehabilitated by the FBI
In 2007, the FBI’s invitation for Hok Lundy to travel to Washington to discuss about the cooperation on anti-terrorism fight led a protest from human rights groups, in particular from Human Rights Watch (HRW). “The alleged involvement of Hok Lundy in political violence actions and organized crimes in Cambodia should lead the FBI to hold an investigation against him, not welcoming him,” Brad Adams, HRW director for Asia, said in shock.
That was a radical change in the US attitude towards the Cambodian top cop, whereas a year earlier, in 2006, the US State Department refused to provide him a visa for a visit to the US because of his “ alleged involvement in human trafficking.” One month later, the FBI rewarded Hok Lundy with a medal for his support in the fight against international terrorism.
A questionable disappearance
Speculations abound: was it an unfortunate accident due to bad weather or … was it a conspiracy? For Chea Mony, President of the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), it does not matter, the death of the top cop means that, undoubtedly, the number of murders of politicians, stars and Cambodian reporters will be reduced. “Nevertheless, I regret that he was not brought to justice. […] When he was in power, nobody dared to defy him. His death will prevent any attempt to identify his accomplices.”
When asked, other activists tried to remain neutral. Chan Soveth, a representative of Adhoc, presented his condolences to Hok Lundy’s family and Adhoc will send a wreath. Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), asked the government to investigate thoroughly in order to shed lights on the accusations made by Heng Pov against Hok Lundy, as well as on the causes of the crash which put an end to Hok Lundy’s life on 09 November.
Khieu Kanharith, government spokesman, indicated on Monday 10 November that he did not know the reason for this travel which took place following the celebration of the 55th anniversary of Cambodia’s independence, an event in which Hok Lundy was present. On Monday morning, General Sok Phal, deputy police commissioner, visited Hok Lundy’s home to pay his respect. He refused to provide any comment on this affair to the news media while indicating that an investigation has been opened on the case. He added that Neth Savoeun will take over the command of the national police while waiting for the nomination of a replacement for Hok Lundy. His funeral – the date of which has not been set or announced yet – will be held in Svay Rieng where he died.
An official often criticized by human rights activists
After he was nominated as governor of Svay Rieng in 1993, Hok Lundy was nominated as general director at the ministry of Interior in charge of police. He nevertheless remained very active in his province where he opened a private university. Holding a good position among Hun Sen’s closed guards – the two consolidated their links through the wedding of their children – Hok Lundy was not a friend of human rights groups. Untouchable, the numerous allegations about his role in human and drug trafficking, or the murder of officials did not push him out of his positions. He liked to repeat in interviews he gave out to the press that he has nothing to blame himself with, while calling his detractors to provide proof of their accusations.
Heng Pov’s accusations
Union leader Chea Vichea, the star Piseth Pilika, Minister Ho Sok: these were three murders ordered by Hok Lundy, Heng Pov made these sensational revelations to the French magazine L’Express while he was on the run out of the country. In an interview reported under the title “Hun Sen’s dirty jobs” and published in the weekly French magazine in August 2006, Heng Pov did not hesitate to accuse his boss in the March 1997 grenade attack against a demonstration led by Sam Rainsy. The attack left 12 people dead. He also presented Hok Lundy as being the perpetrator of “illegal acts” for Hun Sen, and he added that their conniving started all the way back when the pair met each other in Vietnam in 1979. Shortly thereafter, Heng Pov’s whereabout was found and he was extradited back to Cambodia where he is currently sitting in jail for a number of crimes and infractions that the Cambodian court charged him for.
Hok Lundy rehabilitated by the FBI
In 2007, the FBI’s invitation for Hok Lundy to travel to Washington to discuss about the cooperation on anti-terrorism fight led a protest from human rights groups, in particular from Human Rights Watch (HRW). “The alleged involvement of Hok Lundy in political violence actions and organized crimes in Cambodia should lead the FBI to hold an investigation against him, not welcoming him,” Brad Adams, HRW director for Asia, said in shock.
That was a radical change in the US attitude towards the Cambodian top cop, whereas a year earlier, in 2006, the US State Department refused to provide him a visa for a visit to the US because of his “ alleged involvement in human trafficking.” One month later, the FBI rewarded Hok Lundy with a medal for his support in the fight against international terrorism.
A questionable disappearance
Speculations abound: was it an unfortunate accident due to bad weather or … was it a conspiracy? For Chea Mony, President of the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), it does not matter, the death of the top cop means that, undoubtedly, the number of murders of politicians, stars and Cambodian reporters will be reduced. “Nevertheless, I regret that he was not brought to justice. […] When he was in power, nobody dared to defy him. His death will prevent any attempt to identify his accomplices.”
When asked, other activists tried to remain neutral. Chan Soveth, a representative of Adhoc, presented his condolences to Hok Lundy’s family and Adhoc will send a wreath. Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), asked the government to investigate thoroughly in order to shed lights on the accusations made by Heng Pov against Hok Lundy, as well as on the causes of the crash which put an end to Hok Lundy’s life on 09 November.
Friday, April 25, 2008
3 additional months of jail time for Heng Pov
Friday, April 25, 2008Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
On 24 April, The Phnom Penh municipal court handed down to Heng Pov, the former Phnom penh police commissioner, an additional 3 months jail term for illegal detention, this jail sentence is in addition to the 58 years and 6 months jail sentence he received so far. Judge Iev Kim Sry gave this additional sentence to Heng Pov because he ordered his subordinates to arrest and detain Chheang Huot, the owner of a nightclub, illegally to ask for more than $260,000 in ransom. Ly Rasy, Heng Pov’s subordinate and who also followed Heng Pov’s order, also received a 3-month jail sentence. Before the judge announced the sentence, Heng Pov denied he committed the act as he is accused by the court, because he was the police commissioner and he cannot commit illegal action. He also said that whatever he is talking about, he has clear proof to back himself up. Altogether, including the latest 3-month jail sentence, Heng Pov is sentenced to 58 years and 9 months of jail time. He is also involved in 2 other cases which the court did not conduct the hearing yet. Heng Pov is a record-holder prisoner in Cambodia because his jail sentence is the longest ever.
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