Statement
A Good Day for Mam Sonando; A
Bad Day for Rule of Law in Cambodia
Phnom
Penh, 14 March 2013 – Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a
coalition of 21 NGOs members, is pleased that the Court of Appeal today ruled
to release Mam Sonando, KanSovann and Touch Ream; however, CHRAC cannot welcome
this decision as they remain convicted on a number of spurious charges, which
should have been dropped altogether.
Mam
Sonando– the owner of independent Beehive Radio station and President of the
Association of Democrats – was sentenced to 20 years in prison in on 01 October
2012, in relation to a so-called secessionist movement in Broma village, Kratie
province. No credible evidence was ever produced to support the politically
motivated charges against him. Mam Sonando should have been acquitted at the
Appeal Court today; instead it upheld three of the original charges – articles
28, 504 and 609 of the Penal Code – and added another qualification – article
97(6) of the Forestry Law – in a move that raises serious concerns with regard
to rule of law and rights of the defense.
CHRAC
strongly supports Mam Sonando’s commitment to democracy and human rights. His
decision to confront the charges against him demonstrated the failings of the
Cambodian judicial system as it became evident they were baseless. A full
investigation should be launched into his arrest, investigation and detention
so lessons can be learned and the judiciary strengthened.
The
ruling of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to sentence Mam Sonando to 20 years in
prison in October 2012 raises serious questions into the competence and
independence of those judicial authorities which erroneously convicted him of
crimes it is clear he did not commit. Mam Sonando was arrested shortly after a
speech was made by Prime Minister Hun Sen calling for his detention. The Cambodian
courts have repeatedly shown themselves to be pliant to the will of the
government, contrary to the separation of powers enshrined under article 51 of
the Cambodian constitution.
CHRAC
again calls on the judicial authorities to launch an independent investigation
into the events that took place in Kratie province last year, in particular the
forced eviction of Broma village residents, land grabbing by the concessionaire
company, Casotim, and the killing a 14 year old girl, Heng Chantha.
The case against Mam Sonando,
Touch Ream and Kan Sovann was political theatre. All charges against them must
be dropped since Cambodia is earnest in its commitment to the rule of law.
For more information, please
contact:
Mr. Sok Sam
Oeun
Chairman of CHRAC and Executive Director of
Cambodian Defenders
Project
(CDP)
Tel: 012 901 199
Mr. Ny
Chakriya
Head of Monitoring section of
ADHOC
Tel: 011 274 959
Mr. Mak
Chamroeun President of Khmer
Youth Association
(KYA)
Tel: 097 444 5777
Mr. Run
Saray
Executive Director of Legal Aid of Cambodia
(LAC)
Tel: 012 838 341
Mr. Yong Kim
Eng
President of People Center for Development and Peace (PDP) Tel: 016 828
211
___________________________
Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)
Address: # 9E0, St. 330, Sangkat Boeung Keng Kong III,
Khan. Chamcar Morn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tel/Fax: (855) 23 218 759, Tel: (855) 23 301 415, 305 609
E-mail: chrac@forum.org.kh or chracsecretariat@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.chrac.org
Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)
Address: # 9E0, St. 330, Sangkat Boeung Keng Kong III,
Khan. Chamcar Morn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tel/Fax: (855) 23 218 759, Tel: (855) 23 301 415, 305 609
E-mail: chrac@forum.org.kh or chracsecretariat@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.chrac.org
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