Heng Pov brought to court.Source: everyday.com.kh
Reported in English by Khmerization
Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang, the alleged murderers of union leader Chea Vichea, has been summoned to reappear before the Appeal Court on 17th August. The pair had been jailed for the last six years but were released on bail after strong pressures from human right groups that they were wrongly convicted.
Mr. Chea Mony, the current union leader who is also the younger brother of Mr. Chea Vichea, has written a letter to the Appeal Court asking it to allow the jailed ex-Phnom Penh Police chief Heng Pov to testify in this new trial.
Heng Pov said before his arrest, after he had a fall out with Prime Minister Hun Sen, that Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang were not the real murderers.
Chea Vichea was shot dead in broad daylight in October 2003 at the time when Heng Pov was the Phnom Penh Police Commissioner. A few weeks later, Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang were arrested and paraded in front of the international media. Human right groups and political observers believed that the pair were wrongly arrested and convicted.
Both men had always protested their innocence and after strong pressures from human right groups, they were released on bail earlier this year.
As of Saturday (8th August) afternoon, Gen. Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said, as a convicted criminal, Heng Pov does not have all the rights like normal citizens. He said: "A convict means that a person whose rights have been withdrawn such as the rights to vote, the rights to stand as a candidate in the election, the rights of movements and the rights to express any formal opinions."
He added: "As a convict one has only the right to a life, to a meal, to an exercise, to perform prison labour. A convict is no longer a neutral person, so if we allow them to testify or be a witness they will say anything they like that won't be admissible as evidence."
In response, Chea Mony dismissed Gen. Khieu Sopheak's comments as lacking legal basis by saying that the comments are coming from a person who does not understand the legal systems.
Reported in English by Khmerization
Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang, the alleged murderers of union leader Chea Vichea, has been summoned to reappear before the Appeal Court on 17th August. The pair had been jailed for the last six years but were released on bail after strong pressures from human right groups that they were wrongly convicted.
Mr. Chea Mony, the current union leader who is also the younger brother of Mr. Chea Vichea, has written a letter to the Appeal Court asking it to allow the jailed ex-Phnom Penh Police chief Heng Pov to testify in this new trial.
Heng Pov said before his arrest, after he had a fall out with Prime Minister Hun Sen, that Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang were not the real murderers.
Chea Vichea was shot dead in broad daylight in October 2003 at the time when Heng Pov was the Phnom Penh Police Commissioner. A few weeks later, Sok Sam-Oeun and Born Samnang were arrested and paraded in front of the international media. Human right groups and political observers believed that the pair were wrongly arrested and convicted.
Both men had always protested their innocence and after strong pressures from human right groups, they were released on bail earlier this year.
As of Saturday (8th August) afternoon, Gen. Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said, as a convicted criminal, Heng Pov does not have all the rights like normal citizens. He said: "A convict means that a person whose rights have been withdrawn such as the rights to vote, the rights to stand as a candidate in the election, the rights of movements and the rights to express any formal opinions."
He added: "As a convict one has only the right to a life, to a meal, to an exercise, to perform prison labour. A convict is no longer a neutral person, so if we allow them to testify or be a witness they will say anything they like that won't be admissible as evidence."
In response, Chea Mony dismissed Gen. Khieu Sopheak's comments as lacking legal basis by saying that the comments are coming from a person who does not understand the legal systems.
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